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The Ancient Prophecy Ch. 10

Ch. 10: Plague and Cure

A little girl stood alone in the darkness. Her small body shivered from the chill. She was standing, cold and lonely, in the middle of nowhere. Her eyes tried to penetrate the darkness, yet they failed. She was trapped here, and she could do nothing. She was helpless.

The lonely girl began to wander around, trying to find her way through the dark. She couldn't tell which way she was going, or what she was going to see. Her mind was blank. Her heart was in deep panic. Her soul was hopeless.

Finally her eyes caught something beneath the darkness. There were at least three figures sitting down on the invisible ground. The girl slowly approached them. When she got a closer look, she discovered that the three figures were soldiers, and they were badly wounded. Multiple cuts decorated their bodies. She felt pity of them, so she approached them, tore a section of her sleeve and bandaged the closest man's arm. The man turned to meet her gaze. She was expecting a warm, grateful look...

Instead, she received a cold, menacing look. Her face quickly grew pale. She stepped back, but the other two men blocked the way and quickly seized her arms. But she couldn't move. She was too shocked to move. She gave her pure, honest love, yet she received menace in return.

The two other men quickly pinned her down on the ground. A rough hand clamped around her mouth, silencing her scream. The man she had bandaged got between her legs, reached out beneath her short skirt, and tore her satin panties off her. She was petrified. Her mind went numb. She was going to be raped...

Raped...?! Again...?!

The thought hit her at the back of her head. She couldn't comprehend it, not know where it came from, but that didn't stop the men from doing their filthy job. They tore her blouse in a single jerk, doing their best to hurt her. Her pert breasts came free, her nipples rigid upon contact with the cold air.

"Please... don't do this... I can't..."

"Shut up, bitch!" One man barked. "You little teaser! We'll give what you want!"

"That's right... A priestess of Lycra... must be a virgin..."

"No... please..."

The man slapped her hard and her head slumped weakly against her shoulder. "That should shut you up for the duration..."

"Yeah... we should decide... who's going to drill her hole first..."

She sobbed as the men tossed their coin, trying to find the one who would pop her cherry. Then the rough hands pinned her down again, preventing any movements; another pair spread her legs wide, revealing her pussy to the assailants. She could feel the man's member touching her pussy. She began to struggle frantically, but her power was no match for the men.

"No...! No...!"

And the filthy member thrust inside of her. She screamed as the cock tore her tender hymen and her virginity was stolen from her. She cried and wailed uncontrollably. Her rapist fucked her mercilessly, slamming his cock deep inside her vagina using her blood as lubricant. Her body jerked from the pain in every thrust he made.

Then suddenly she saw the man's face again. She'd seen him somewhere. In fact, she'd seen these men before. She met her rapist's gaze, and then the memory flooded back to her. She'd seen him in her countless nightmares. His was the face she'd never hope of seeing again. He was her... rapist...

She threw her gaze away, only to look at another person holding her, and her eyes stared in horror. It can't be...! That face... That grinning face... belongs to one man she loves... Atrus...!!

NO...!!!

The dimension door sprung open and the view of vast, unending clouds filled the landscape. The party quickly shielded their eyes from the sudden glare from the sun. The sunlight was almost twice as bright, but the party quickly adapted to the light.

"We're standing on the clouds!!" Hawk declared.

"Yikes!!"

The party staggered to find solid ground, but found that the ground was indeed solid. "Don't worry." Lynn the Fairy giggled. "You can stand on the clouds."

And the view before them was stunning. A large gate stood before them. The gate was arc-shaped, probably made of pure gold and richly ornamented. The poles on each side supported two large, beautiful statuettes of angels, each bearing a long sword and a war banner. The legend of the marvel of the gate was indeed true. This was the one.

The Portal of Heaven...

Yet there was only one detail that bothered them. The gate was open.

"We're too late!" The Fairy screamed in her small, yet high-pitched voice. "The Portal of Heaven has been breached! Come! We have to rescue my sisters!"

"Get ready, people!" Atrus ordered, and everybody prepared their weapons.

The party raced past the gate and began to move between the clouds. Although it felt funny, the clouds in this region were fully solid, allowing them to stand on them. Hawk made the first mistake by charging through a seemingly thin wall of cloud that quickly knocked him back.

"Do you usually run through walls back in Aragon, O mighty warrior?" Aurelia the Elf smirked.

"Very funny."

The Fairy raised her hand, silencing the party. They could hear footsteps coming from beneath the clouds ahead. The Fairy flapped her small wings before them, signaling that Fairies usually flew even among solid clouds. Then footsteps could only mean one thing. The enemies were near.

"Master! Over there!" Maya pointed at a small opening between two cloud walls.

Atrus and Roberto hid behind the opening in the clouds, ready to ambush the attacker. The two men, although used to dislike each other, had developed a good partnership since the young prince joined the quest. Roberto's reliable Kaiser Sword was a fine partner of Atrus' magical Rainbow Sword. The rest of the party hid behind another patch of clouds near the opening.

The footsteps were getting near. With one signal, the two men jumped from their cover and charged with their swords... only to find that they were facing a pair of green, muscular knees. They looked up and found that they were staring at a...

An Ogre...

Everybody in the Land of Lore knew that fighting an Ogre in a close melee combat was a bad, bad idea, let alone standing before one and staring at it as if it was a clown. Being the first smart person in this scenario, Atrus quickly dove at the stunned Roberto and pushed him out of the way before the gigantic stone club smashed the ground.

"What is that Ogre doing here in Heaven?!!" Hawk demanded.

Another pair of Ogres appeared behind his companion, wielding the same stone clubs.

"Correction... Ogres." Hawk added. "Hmm... I thought they're an endangered species..."

"Prepare to fight, people!" Aurelia yelled. "And keep your distance!"

The Elf prepared her trusty bows and arrows while Maya wielded her throwing knives. Hawk and Holgreb the Dwarf, possessing no long-range weapons, stood before them to give them cover. The two girls began firing their weapons, giving cover as the other two men retreated.

"D...Did y...you see the size of that... thing?!" Roberto blurted out.

"Foul folks have touched their feet on Heaven!" The Fairy cried. "We have been disgraced!"

"Arrows and blades will slow them down," Atrus said, "but will not kill them. I'll have to confront them. Cover me, girls!"

"Prince Roberto, wear this!" Maya gave him her magical talisman, the last gift from her late father. "This will speed you up despite that heavy plate armor you're wearing. Go and help Master Atrus!"

Three Ogres marched at them, swinging their clubs wildly in the air. One of Aurelia's arrows found its mark right on the Ogre's head and the creature collapsed instantly. Atrus and Roberto rushed to meet their opponents. The Ogre's terrible speed was not a match for Atrus' agility. Atrus dashed around the creature, sending blow after blow against the creature's thick scale. The Ogre roared in frustration. Atrus quickly ended its misery by sending a Lightning Slash attack toward the creature's neck, beheading it.

Roberto fought a harder fight. Despite the talisman, he was not as fast as Atrus and had a hard time coordinating his attack. The Ogre kept maintaining its close distance, limiting the Kaiser Sword's effectiveness. One powerful swing from the club found its mark and threw the prince back on the ground. The plate armor he's wearing softened the blow, yet the force was enough to paralyze him for a while. Maya quickly threw a rapid wave of throwing knives, attracting the creature. The time she bought was enough. Roberto was back on his feet, wielded his sword and dashed toward the Ogre. He leaped and swung the Kaiser Sword with all his might at the Ogre. The sword flared as it regained its true power and sliced the creature in half. Blood spurted from the carcass, smearing the clouds.

"Now I'm mad!" The prince roared. "Thanks, girl!"

Two Ogres charged at Aurelia, trying to prevent her from firing more arrows. Hawk who was standing before her leaped to the side, swung his long spear and, thanks to his constant training back in the castle training ground, hit the creature squarely at the back of its neck, knocking its nerve system and killing it instantly. The other Ogre charged at the defenseless Elf princess, but a short creature hit its belly with his head and threw it backwards. For a Human, challenging an Ogre's might was considered foolish, but Holgreb was a Dwarf, and a Dwarf possessed far more strength than a normal Human did. The Ogre didn't expect that the Dwarf could match its strength and was taken back. Before it could recover from the blow, Holgreb brought down his trusty old axe and beheaded the creature.

The party regrouped again, only to find that the enemy ranks had been replenished. More Ogres appeared from the clouds, carrying more wicked spiked clubs. Now they definitely couldn't afford getting hit, for it would be fatal.

"Suggestions, anybody?" Atrus asked.

"Is retreat an option?" Hawk offered.

"We've gone too far to retreat now..."

"I'll help you!" The Fairy said. "Fear not, mighty Warriors of the Guardian!"

The Fairy raised her hand and the party began to glow in bright light. Atrus could feel strange power creeping inside his limbs. Roberto also felt the same force supporting his weight and making him unaware that he was still wearing a plate armor. The two men quickly charged at the Ogre ranks with renewed ferocity. This time the Ogres couldn't match their ability. One by one the foul folks fell to the ground.

"Wow..." Hawk mumbled.

"Now that's a slaughter..." Holgreb agreed.

"What did you do to us?" Atrus asked.

"It's a Fairy blessing." The Fairy answered. "It enhances your ability. Because you all have fought for my home, I will gladly lend my assistance."

"Excuse me, Miss... But you haven't told us your name." Aurelia said.

"You can call me Lynn." The Fairy bowed at Atrus. "I am one of the chosen Warriors of the Guardian. O Prophet of the Guardian, I salute you."

"What? You know that you are the one?" Atrus queried.

"Fairies are loyal servants of the Gods, O Prophet of the Guardian. We serve and receive orders directly from Lord Guardian. We therefor gain access to such information."

"Then you have the dream from the Guardian, then!"

"Oh, the prophecy, you mean?" Lynn thought for a while. "I once had this dream. I saw a bright golden light flying in the sky. Then I saw another light, this time it was dark red, just like the color of blood. The golden light and the red one twisted around and slammed into one another and a bright flash blinded me and awakened me instantly."

"Hmm... I honestly don't know what that means..." Maya muttered.

"Honestly, guys..." Hawk interrupted, "It's not a good time for deciphering a dream now."

"Well, it's been nice to know you, Lynn." Atrus agreed. "But we'd better be hurry. If there are still enemies around here, we'd better get rid of them quick."

"They must be in the Inner Sanctum right now. They had to be after the Holy Fire of Love! We must preserve the fire, or the wrath of the Gods would be upon us! Follow me!"

The party moved quickly between the clouds unchallenged for the moment. But soon they heard grunting and groaning sound from beneath the rows of clouds ahead. Finally they reached the end of the labyrinth and gasped at the sight. The majestic Inner Sanctum of Heaven stood before them, more exquisite than even the greatest storyteller could ever describe. The tall pillars of clouds supported the large conical roof. Various golden statues of angels in various positions filled the courtyard and carved on the pillars. A large golden altar stood proud in the middle of the temple. On top of it stood a large pit made out of metal. And just like Lynn feared, the fire had died.

"The Holy Fire of Love..." Lynn yelled. "It's gone...!"

The view of the courtyard was worse. Many Fairies were there, captured by the foul folks. The Ogres were torturing them viciously with clubs and whips. Most of the Fairies were being raped violently on the ground. Fairy blood smeared the courtyard. Ogres' groans and captured Fairies' pitiful scream filled the air.

"Dear Lord Guardian..." Lynn sobbed. "My sisters...!"

"Damn those Ogres! Let them pay!" Aurelia cried.

"Come on, people!" Atrus raised his sword. "Charge!"

Lynn raised her hands and cast blessing to the party. Then the party poured into the Inner Sanctum courtyard and engaged the unsuspecting enemies.

The first prophecy of the Guardian, the Siege of Heaven, had been fulfilled. Now they had to retake it.

The flame grew brighter as the Dark Lord approached the pit. Daemon took off his cloak from his body, feeling the warmth of the unholy fire. The violent snowstorm was raging outside the Emerald Tower, devastating the wasteland. He let out a simple smile. Destruction... How I love the word...

The blue flame flickered, revealing a face of a demon he knew as one of his loyal subordinates, wearing a long dark cloak. "Greetings, Supreme Commander Daemon."

"Report." The demon simply ordered.

"The assault was a success, my Lord." The demon hissed. "The Humans were caught unprepared of our attack. The town of Blackwell stood before us and Stromgard. The castle north of the town is lightly guarded and shouldn't pose any threat. Soon the puny Humans will fall."

"Excellent... And I must praise you for your finest selection. You know my taste."

"It's been my greatest pleasure, my Lord."

"I await for the news of your victory. Now do what you have to do."

The demon disappeared from the flame. The Dark Lord walked slowly toward the next room. He was in a good mood. For once his subordinate didn't screw up in his task. And his artisans had finished refurbishing the new room, his playroom. For once he was truly happy.

The room was exactly where the old throne room used to be. Replacing the throne was a high stone chair. Gaea, the Protector of the Realm was sitting there, dressed in majestic gown and crowned with a pretty golden headband. Yet one detail stayed the same. She was shackled to the throne. Her body shivered on contact with the cold stone. The shackles on the feet of the chair forced her legs wide open. The gown had open slits in certain places, revealing her breasts and bare pussy. She just sat there weakly, defeated and completely humiliated.

Before her stood a wooden table. A young girl was strapped into the table with various shackles. Her mouth was gagged with her own panties. She was blindfolded, and was struggling against her bondage. Two small pins plugged her ears, cutting her from any contact from the real world.

She was the only survivor from the last raid. Yet her life would not last for long. She would hope that she would have died in the attack. Now she would beg him to kill her.

"How... magnificent..." Daemon muttered.

"Leave her alone, Daemon!" Gaea cried. "She's innocent! She has nothing to do with this!"

"Why, it will make the matter more interesting, will it not?"

The Dark Lord touched her pert breast. Her protest came instantly. She squirmed and let out a muffled scream. The demon lord chuckled, satisfied with the reaction.

"Please... let her go!" Gaea begged. "Just... do me instead..."

"Ah... you're offering yourself?" Daemon sneered.

"Y...yes... Please let her go... You can do anything to me..."

Lord Daemon approached the defeated goddess, lifted her head and forced her eyes to look into his. Determination quickly vanished from her eyes, defeated by fear.

"You are getting meek, my princess..." Daemon said softly.

"Y...yes... whatever you say..."

"Whatever you say, what?!"

"W...whatever y...you say... Milord..."

The demon lord smiled. "That's right. You are weak. You're not worthy as the Protector of the Realm. You're just a slave!"

"Y...yes, Milord..." Gaea hung her head in shame. "I'm just a slave..."

"And you will obey me! You will observe closely as I rape her!"

Gaea's eyes flared in fear. "No...! Milord, please let her go!"

The discussion was over. Daemon approached the bound girl and undid his trousers. His raging hard member stood in attention. He roughly licked the girl's dry pussy despite both girls' protest. Then without warning he slammed his penis deep inside the girl's pussy, stretching it to the limit. The gag couldn't stop the shattering scream of pain from escaping her lips. Gaea could only watch in horror as the demon lord raped the innocent girl mercilessly. The wave of guilt swept over her mind. She was the Protector of the Realm, yet she couldn't do anything to stop the horror before her. She had failed to do her job. She had failed the Guardian. She was not worthy as a goddess. I'm just a useless, wretched slave.

And as the demon lord reached climax, three screams joined together to form a perfect chorus: pleasure, pain and despair.

Atrus sat on the smooth, white marble of the Inner Sanctum and slowly took off his armor. The once-proud leather armor he'd received from a good fellow back in Labrador was now decorated with dents and scratches. That armor had seen many battles before, and had seen many more with him. Now it was hardly enough to deflect an arrow. It's time to buy a brand new armor, he thought.

The thought of Labrador brought back the memory of his first battle. He remembered fighting the bandits that had been pillaging the towns around the border. He remembered the kind people who had helped and supported him in his journey. He remembered the faith they had put in him when they elected him, just a young naïve boy, as their leader.

The thought also reminded him of Anna. It was the first time that he'd met her. The first meeting hadn't been very pleasant, but he'd gained her trust and respect, through tough battles and dire dangers, many of which could have got either of them killed. By any chance, he'd almost always been there for her in times of danger. Now Anna was nowhere near him. He didn't even know what had become of her. He didn't even know whether he would ever see her again.

The thought of Labrador bothered him deeply. Roberto had just confirmed that the army of the undead had raged through the south countryside and had pushed through the Great Forest. Now the small town of Blackwell, Maya's hometown, was the only town standing between the destruction and the capital of the Human kingdom of Aragon, Stromgard. Knowing that the enemy had pushed so far into the territory, Atrus was sure that among all towns in the south that had fallen, Labrador could be one of them.

And right now they were defenseless. Heaven, the home of the High Fairies, had been ransacked. They had driven out all the Ogres, but the price was heavy. Many Fairies were gravely wounded in the assault, but greater wounds lay inside. The Ogres had raped many of them before the party arrived. Plus, their holy symbol, the Holy Fire of Love was gone. Their physical wounds could be treated, yet their honor and dignity had been seized from them. Now they're reluctant to offer their support for the alliance.
Right now Maya, Aurelia and Hawk were tending the injuries. The rest of the people helped rebuild the Gate of Heaven. The pitiful moan of pain and despair filled the air. If only Anna was here...

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, O Prophet of the Guardian..."

"Lynn, how many times should I tell you to call me Atrus!" He snapped.

"My fault, O... Prophet Atrus..." The Fairy cowered.

"Atrus!" He insisted.

"Atrus... I want to express my gratitude for your assistance to our race."

"Don't mention it." Atrus replied. "We have another important matter to attend."

"I agree, but as you can see, our home is destroyed. The enemies have... hurt us..."

Atrus stared at her. "What do you mean...?"

"I mean..." The Fairy couldn't look at him in the eye. "I'm afraid... we can't offer our support in your alliance..."

"What?!" Maya, who was tending a wounded Fairy nearby, couldn't help but cry.

I know this one is coming. "You know how important the alliance is for us?" Atrus asked.

"We understand, yet there is nothing we could do to assist. We've been... defeated..."

"No, you haven't!" Maya answered quickly. "We can still fight together!"

"Our purity has been robbed. The Holy Fire of Love from the Gods has been extinguished. We have betrayed our vows. It's only a matter of time until the Gods decide to punish us..."

"Nonsense!" Maya shouted.

"Is there anything I can do to prove you otherwise?" Atrus interrupted.

"You have passed our test by defeating the invaders..." Lynn answered slowly. "But we can't help you. We are sorry. Please understand..."

"But without your help, we all will fall!" Maya insisted. "Please help us!"

"Young lady, you don't understand what we've been through!"

"Yes, I do!" There was a hint of deep pain in Maya's voice. "I... I've been through things worse than this and I... I survived them!"

"I don't mean to offend you, young lady, but purity means everything to us..."

"So what?!" Atrus had never seen Maya so mad before. "What are you going to do right now?! Commit a mass suicide?!"

"Now, girls!!" Atrus finally decided to interfere. He looked at both contenders, then sighed. "There was a fight out there in Aragon and many innocent people were killed. Now that I'm sick of it, I don't want to hear another one happening here between us!"

When both girls finally settled down, he resumed, "Maya, I'm afraid she's right. We can't force anything from them after what they've been through."

"But, Master..."

"No buts!" Atrus said quickly. "And Lynn, I understand. We will do our best to defend the realm without your help." He stood up. "I believe my task is done here. We must go."

"Wait..." The Fairy hesitated. "I mean... you're just going to leave, just like that...?"

"I have done what I'm supposed to do." Atrus answered calmly.

"I... I'm very sorry." Lynn hung her head. "I really want to help, but..." She hesitated.

Atrus put his hand on her shoulder and gave her, despite the grueling feeling inside him, his best encouraging smile. "I know... Listen to your heart. That's what my father always says."

The party quickly regrouped at the temple courtyard. The repair of the Gate was halfway done, but they had to go. Another pressing matter was to be attended.

"Undead army had attacked Southern Aragon, destroying many towns in that area. We need to go and mount some sort of defense." Atrus said. "Roberto, I believe your kingdom needs you right now."

"Yes. I have to go home and rally the army. I would appreciate if Captain Hawk would come with me." The young prince said.

"No problem." Hawk nodded. "I'll go."

"Princess Aurelia, could you go to Elom and inform the queen about this" Atrus asked.

"Sure." The Elf nodded. "I'll rally the Elven defenders to reinforce your army."

"And I suppose I should inform King Hloffeth about this?" Holgreb asked.

"Please." Atrus nodded. "I can't come with you people, because I have another matter to attend. I have to go to the fifth and last race."

"Which is...?" Aurelia asked.

Atrus fell quiet for a while. "Good question. We've visited the Humans, Elves, Dwarves and Fairies. But there are supposed to be five races, or that's what Lord Guardian told me."

"Could it be the Gods?" Roberto offered.

"Nah..." Holgreb the Dwarf sneered. "Those stupid creatures won't even care!"

Everybody looked at the Dwarf for the moment. "Er... atheistic, I suppose?" Hawk asked.

"Very."

Maya spoke up for the first time. "Master, why don't you ask the Fairies? They said they have access to such information."

"Lynn...?" Atrus turned to the Fairy.

"I'm not sure that such information is... valid for you..."

"Well, I tell you this..." Atrus stared into the Fairy's eyes. "There's a war going on out there and people are being killed! Now I'm not going to sit here, wasting my time, thinking about where I'm supposed to go! Now if you really care about those poor souls, let me know where to go!!"

Silence covered them for a while. After being with Atrus for a while, everybody knew that no matter how a nice person Atrus could be, he was the worst person to be around with when he was in a bad mood. Especially when Anna wasn't around to counter his anger.

"All right, I'll tell you..." The Fairy cowered. "You've visited all high races in the realm and done what you have to do. The time has come for you to visit the last race, the race of the outcasts... the mages..."

"What?!" Roberto choked on himself. "Oh boy..."

"What's wrong?" Holgreb asked.

"Humans and Elves hated each other." Aurelia explained. "But they shared the same hatred against the mages."

"Why?"

"We thought that the mages were responsible for all the chaos that had been happening at that time. It was mostly political stuff. But an allied army of Humans and Elves really attacked the Great Temple of Magi in Northern Aragon, destroying the place. Now the Order of Magi settled down in far northeast of the land in a small peninsula bordered by mountains and the treacherous Northern Ocean."

"So I assume they won't be very excited with the idea of this alliance?"

"Definitely not." Roberto replied. "Atrus, do you want me to go with you to apologize?"

"That will do no good." Atrus answered. "If they don't want an alliance, they don't want it, even if you're there. I'll confront them. Now we'd better get going..."

"Wait...!" Lynn hesitated for a while. "I... I can help... I can open a set of dimension doors here to send you all to your destinations. I suppose that's the least I can do to assist..."

"Thanks." Atrus nodded. "Maya? Are you going with Prince Roberto?"

"No, Master... I think I'll stay here for a while to help... that is, if you don't mind..."

"Why, you're heroes!" Lynn answered quickly. "You're always welcomed in Heaven!"

"All right, people, let's move!"

Four magical dimension doors was opened before them. Prince Roberto and Hawk went in to Castle Stromgard to rally troops. Aurelia went back to Elom to prepare reinforcement while Holgreb proceeded to Castle Hloffeth to warn King Parson of the threat. Atrus faced the last dimension door that Lynn claimed to connect to the Land of the Magi.

"Be careful, Master..." Maya called.

Atrus gave her an encouraging smile, then entered the dimension door. The magical door was quickly closed behind him. He ran through the magical tunnel, ignoring various flashes and glows of the shrunk objects in the realm as he traveled through space and time. Everything flashed in bright light, signaling the end of the tunnel. Just in case, he reached out for his sword and prepared his fighting stance.

He failed. The ground wasn't there.

Atrus stumbled and fell instantly after going out of the dimension door. The door seemed to hover above the ground. He landed, thankfully, on a grassy ground. The height of his fall wasn't fatal, but the pain was enough to make him grumble. I'll deal with that Fairy brat later...

When he completely recovered from the fall, he knew he wasn't alone. In fact, he was surrounded by at least a dozen other men. They were all wearing long robes and high collars. Each of them held a long staff topped with a gem. They all didn't look very pleased with his sudden appearance. Atrus had heard stories about wizards. He'd thought wizards were just street magicians wearing long robes, thick beard and pointy hats. Now, facing a group of angry wizards, he knew he was in trouble.

His hand still rested firmly on his sword on his back. He could ignite his inner power any time, giving him an advantage in battle and offered partial protection against magic. But he knew he wasn't there to fight. He was there to plea for help from his race's greatest archenemy.

He put his hand down. "I surrender. Lead me to your leader."

She let his member enter her pussy. She let out a soft moan as the strong sensation hit her. Slowly her body yielded to the pleasure. She looked into his eyes lovingly. He was so tender. He was so charming. And he knew exactly how to satisfy her. The thought hit her for a second, but was washed away by the pleasure he was giving.

"Atrus... That's so good..."

He didn't answer, but his quickening pace was enough for her. His thrust was firm yet gentle. She lifted her hips slightly to encourage him. Her prayer was answered when Atrus slammed his member deeper inside her vagina. He had never been so deep before. The thought of having him so deep inside of her excited her even more. She moaned in ecstasy as her peak was approaching.

Then he stopped. She looked at him. His gaze was different. He was smirking.

"Atrus... what's wrong...?"

He didn't answer nor move.

"Atrus...? Please don't stop..."

Still no answer...

"Atrus! Keep on going!"

He just stayed over her, keeping his evil smile. His member turned cold inside of her. She was frustrated now, both from his rude behavior and her unsatisfied passion. She began to move and wiggle her hips, enjoying whatever sensation the cold member could give her.

You're a slut!

The loud voice echoed inside her head. Her mind screamed instantly, causing extreme guilt to flood into her brain. Adding to her horror, the image of Atrus vanished instantly, replaced by complete darkness.

You're a slut!

"Who are you?!" Anna cried.

You're a slut!

She cried while clutching her head. The voice echoed in her head, shaking her will and shattering her soul. The pain was incredible that she wished she would rather die than endure it. Yet it wasn't over yet. Death was not her option.

And she was left once again, alone, crying in the darkness.

Roberto, the prince and heir to the throne of Aragon, ran like crazy along the hallway.

He was furious. His associates didn't do their job really well while he and Captain Hawk weren't here. The troop training had been a mess while they're gone. Now Hawk had been drilling the troops himself, preparing them for the upcoming battle. More reinforcement from the north wouldn't come in three days. With the current situation, Aragon wouldn't hold very long against the undead army. If Aragon fell the demons would have easy access to conquer the rest of the land. Their only hope lay on the reinforcements from other race. It had been two days, yet he hadn't heard anything from them.

He entered the castle courtyard and found Captain Hawk barking orders at the soldiers. Hawk spotted him and ordered the rest of the trainers to resume the drill. He approached the prince and frowned.

"Not good?" he guessed.

"Very bad." Roberto answered. "The troops won't come in three days. We're completely defenseless right now. My father has bestowed full control of Aragon military forces in my hand, but if this is all we have, we won't last for long."

"The troops are basically ready." Hawk said. "The only thing missing here is morale. They are elite troops, but inexperienced. They've spent most of their lives hunting down robbers and pickpockets. Facing a legion of undead armies would definitely be a dreadful experience."

"I've send words to the officials at Blackwell. They are mounting militia defense around Castle Stoke." Roberto sighed. "More innocent people would be killed. The more those demons could kill, the stronger they would be."

"I think I'll go there and check." Hawk suddenly said. "We need to spy on them. I'll have the squires prepare my horse..."

"Wait for me!!"

For the first time, the two knights were happy to hear that voice again. Holgreb the Dwarf entered the castle courtyard from the entrance. He was different. Instead of wearing his old leather suit he had worn during years of his barbaric profession, he now wore a shiny silver chain mail armor with a large blue Dwarven royal crest on the chest. His old rusted battle-axe was also gone, replaced by a large majestic steel axe, probably made by the best smith in the castle foundry.

"Wow..." Hawk muttered.

"Quite impressive, eh?" The Dwarf knocked the chain armor, producing a solid clanking sound. "King Parson's personal gift. Not a bad deal. From the most wanted criminal to a royal hero."

"Wow..." Roberto imitated.

"Quite an improvement indeed..." Hawk nodded.

"How did you get here?" Roberto asked.

"King Parson sent a herald for the Elves at Elom. I hitched a ride here."

"And how is it going?"

"The troops are ready and on their way." Holgreb answered. "They should be here by tomorrow, I suppose. The king sent three detachments of his hand-picked foot soldiers."

"Thanks, we're going to need them..."

The Dwarf turned to Hawk. "You said you're going to spy on the zombies?"

"Yeah. It won't take long..."

"I'm going with you. You might need a backup. I can recall my experience when I killed the entire army of skeletons with Jesse the..."

"Er... sure, tell me that later... but we'd better get going..." Hawk said quickly.

"Alert!! We have a dragon!!" One soldier screamed.

A dragon?! Here?! It has to be...

"Don't shoot!!" Roberto barked. "All archers, don't shoot!!"

Hawk had already run halfway through the courtyard for a better view and was delighted to see the golden spot in the sky. "It's him! Agar is here!"

The golden dragon flew gracefully in the sky and approached the castle courtyard, momentarily interrupting the training. Soldiers gathered around the courtyard, fighting for a clear look at the monster. Agar landed on the ground before Captain Hawk and bowed. Aurelia popped out from his back and jumped down before the captain.

"Greetings, Captain Hawk. I hope I'm not too late." She smiled.

"No... not at all... in fact we're loo..."

The Elf wrapped her arm around him and planted a full kiss on his lips. The entire soldiers in the courtyard gasped at the sight. Hawk quickly broke the kiss.

"Er... Princess Aurelia... uh... You're not supposed to do that..."

"Why?!" She protested. "I just miss you!"

"After one day?!" Hawk shot back. "Look... We Humans don't just kiss in the public..."

"Oh, don't tell me it's just another Human rules and regulations..."

"Uh... people...?" Roberto said. "We currently have a problem here..."

"How's the reinforcement?" Hawk asked.

"It's coming. On time, hopefully." The Elf answered.

"I'm going to spy on the enemies. Care to join?"

"Sure. We can use Agar."

"Be careful, guys." Roberto said. "All you have to do is peek in and get out. Got it?"

"No battle?" Holgreb asked.

"No!"

"Boring... Honestly, I can slay them all, just like in that old mine when we..."

"Let's get moving, shall we?" Hawk hopped onto the dragon's back and helped Aurelia. "Holgreb, you're coming or not?!"

The Dwarf, still grumbling, hastily climbed the golden dragon and soon the monster lifted off and flew toward the southern sky. Roberto watched the fading dragon for a while before turning to stare at the soldiers, finding them all staring at the same thing.

"What are you looking at?! Hit something! Stab something! Practice, or we're DOOMED!!"

Atrus knelt before the small room that was supposed to be their 'throne room'. The room was basically the main chapel of the new Temple of the Magi decorated with long wooden benches and a small stone altar. The temple itself was built on a small hill at the edge of the peninsula, with the view of the Northern Ocean around it. It definitely was not a perfect place for a main temple, for the frequent storm around the ocean provided poor environment for a quiet sanctuary. Even the oldest lighthouse in Northern Aragon was a better place.

This isn't going to be easy...

The wizards around him hadn't hurt him, or at least not yet. They let him keep his equipment intact. They even let him keep his sword. This was an excellent warning, however, since now he knew that if he drew the sword, he would be toasted before he could use it.

Another man entered the room. Atrus had learned that all mages were basically the same. They consisted of all four high races in the land, but all wore long robes and high collars and held a wooden staff with at least one fake gem. They all looked like street magicians, only far more dangerous.

"Sir Atrus White Lion, the Royal Knight of Aragon, the Prophet of the Guardian, and the greatest demon slayer of the realm." The man spoke up. His cloak was lowered, revealing a middle-aged man staring sharply at him. "So young yet so experienced... too bad you're just a lesser being..."

Atrus clinched. He had heard how the mages referred to the races outside their community as 'lesser beings', just because of their lesser involvement in the world of magic. It was their way to insult other races for expelling them from the rest of the continent. His fear returned. If he said one wrong word, the entire mission would be jeopardized. Only if Anna is here...

He decided to stay quiet.

"Nothing to say, hmm?" The mage chuckled. "Very unlike other lesser beings you are. Very good, because I usually fry those who start lecturing me about our standards and principles."

No questions asked yet. Atrus remained silent.

"We wizards are very highly civilized people. We do welcome other lesser beings as... a decorative yet inessential addition to the realm. But, you know... there are times when the lesser beings' annoyance level... presumably fueled by their stupidity... surpassed our patience level. Those are the times when... accidents... happen."

Silence.

"Fine!!" The wizard roared, then sat on his chair. "What do you want?!"

Atrus met his gaze. "I have come to offer you peace and propose an alliance against..."

"An alliance?!!" The wizard laughed so hard that some part of the old ceiling rocked slightly. "Listen to that, boys! The lesser beings want an alliance!"

The small room was filled with laughter. Human, Elven, and Dwarven laughter was joined together, creating a bad mix. Atrus was not in the mood to join them. Instead, he remained calm and silent.

"Now I don't know what's wrong with you, little boy, but have you read your own history?" The wizard asked Atrus. "For two hundred years since the completion of the Great Temple of Magi, we, the greater beings of the realm, has been reduced into the scapegoat of the realm! For many years, with our great power we sustained the life and death of this universe!" His hand stretched out and showed the entire small room. "And now, see what you have done in return."

Silence.

"We aided you with our magic. We supplied you with endless tools for your welfare. We blessed the living and prayed for the dead!" The wizard stared into Atrus' eyes. "And in return, you attacked our temple, burned it to the ground, massacred our brothers and banished us from the main continent. Quite ironic, really, but true."

Silence.

"I have enough of this!!" The wizard roared again. "You will be sorry to ignore my words, young man! Who do you think I am?!"
"A pathetic madman." Atrus answered.

Suddenly the room was filled with a dozen angry wizards each holding a fireball on their palms. "You take it back, buster!" The wizard threatened.

"Why should I if I'm also telling the truth?" Atrus said calmly.

"Any last wish, lesser being?!" One Elven mage hissed behind him.

"Nothing..." Atrus shrugged. "Just a regret that the greatest beings in the realm have really been reduced into the most barbaric tribe who could only pride themselves in the realm of the past."

Several wizards were ready to throw their missiles, but the one before Atrus, who seemed to be their leaders, raised his hand. "Very well... now let's hear your reasoning, that is, if you have one."

"I'm aware of your current stance to the rest of the races in the realm. I'm also aware that we have done many terrible things in the past. But a greater threat is coming right now. If the demons are not stopped, the entire realm will fall."

"Are you saying that we're incapable of handling this matter?" The lead wizard asked.

"Frankly, what I'm saying is that you'll be foolish to handle this matter yourself!"

The wizard seemed to burn in anger right now, but somehow he managed to refrain it. "I'm expecting a valid reason for that, young man!"

"The undead army is currently attacking the south part of Aragon." Atrus said. "If they succeed, they will have clear access to attack all nearby regions, the Elves', the Dwarves', and eventually, yours. The allied army of the Humans, the Dwarves, and the Elves will gather together and try to hold them back for the moment, but we need your help to defeat them."

"You need our help?" The wizard sneered. "Let me tell you something, kid. The wound from the past is very hard to heal!"

"Yet if you indulge yourself to the past, then no improvement could be made." Atrus countered. "I cannot change the history, and I can only apologize on behalf of other races for what they have done to you in the past. But now things are different. Now, for the sake of our children, we need your help. The past will not come again. The future will."

The room was totally silent for a while, except for the sound of the vigorous wind from the sea blowing through the roofs. Atrus sighed. He had sent his message. If they received it as it is, he might have the chance to succeed. If they didn't, he really doubted he could make it back alive.

Then the head wizard exploded in laughter. "I have to say, wisdom is a rare thing in the head of the lesser beings! Lord Guardian has indeed kept you well under His wings!"

"Wisdom is in everybody's heart." Atrus said calmly. "We only need to set it free."

The environment was a bit warmer for the wizards had ceased their hostility, at least for now. "All right, young man, you've impressed me with your wisdom. You're what Lord Guardian has told me."

"You've talked to him?" Atrus asked.

"Of course... in my dream." The wizard smiled. "My name is Calem. I am one of the Warriors of the Guardian, the man you seek. I also hold one of the prophecies."

"May I know what it is?"

"In my dream I see a lone island, surrounded by storm, covered with dust and topped with snow. And standing in the middle of the land was a small greenish gem. It was so small in the middle of the continent, yet it radiated a faint yet powerful wave of life... I don't know how I could come to that conclusion, but we wizards could feel what you less... uh... normal beings couldn't feel."

Atrus thought for a while. Holgreb's prophecy had been fulfilled. Aurelia's prophecy about undead army was coming. Both Lynn's and Calem's dreams were still puzzling. Anna was the best when it came to deciphering dreams. How he missed her...

"So are you going to help us?" Atrus finally asked.

Calem smiled. "You've told me, but you haven't convinced me."

"What should I do to convince you?"

"Leave us!" And the wizards around him left the chapel.

"A small task." The wizard raised his hand and a vision of a figure hovered in the air. "Do you know him?"

The figure looked like a normal young mage with fine appearance and handsome face, wearing wizard suit. "No." Atrus shook his head.

"Oh, of course you know him..." The wizard smiled. "His name is Gareth Lightbringer."

A sudden wave of fear and anger washed over Atrus. He remembered the name. In fact, he would be damned if he ever forgot the name. He was the renegade mage, the Lich... the very man who had taken Anna from him back in the Pyramid of Salthi. He was his marked man.

"I know all about it." Calem said slowly. "I know how he took your girl from you."

"That topic is not open for discussion." Atrus answered coldly.

"Ah... that young man... I still remember when he was young... An eager young mage he was..." Calem said dreamily. "Too bad ambition gained control over him. That man could live a better life as a wizard than as a Lich."

"Do you want me to defeat him?" Atrus asked.

"No. I want you to save him."

Atrus' eyes widened quickly. "You want me to save the man I want to kill?!"

"Yes, indeed." Calem smiled. "This is a worthy test for all the wisdom you've said just now. I want you to save him from his evil ways and bring him back to the ways of the good. I'm sure he can be a worthy ally for our cause against the demons."

Atrus was silent. He couldn't believe it. After what that man had done to him and Anna, he had to save him. He was facing the greatest conflict in his life, and his friends were nowhere near so he had to decide himself. That very decision might affect the fate of the realm.

"You might have the chance to save her, that is, if you're not too late..."

The decision was made. "Anna is my best friend. " He said. "I will save her no matter what."

"There is something you should know." The wizard held up his hand. "They're in the Void."

"The Void?"

"The Void is the place of nothingness. It was the place where light and darkness fight an eternal battle for supremacy. You will have to navigate blindly inside to reach Gareth. It is the place outside our dimension, our perception and our comprehension..."

"Very poetic." Atrus interrupted, clearly confused. "What do I need to know?"

"It's a one-way travel." Calem continued. "Once a person goes in, he can only go out. But he is the one who holds the key. The mass equation works a bit stricter here. If he opens one entry portal, he can only reopen one exit portal. Those who fail to do so will be trapped for the rest of the eternity."

"So how will this work?" Atrus was even more confused.

"Gareth has opened two entry portals, one for himself and the other for your friend Anna. I can open one entry portal from here to let you into the Void. Yet, you have to convince him to return to the ways of the good and open the two portals he can open from inside."

"That means... only two out of three of us could escape the Void..." Atrus said slowly.

"Yes." Calem nodded. "They're Anna, and Gareth, and you. Two will escape the Void. The loser will be trapped in the Void until the end of time."

Again Atrus was silent. The choice was a hard one. If he had to save Gareth from the Void, then either Anna or he had to stay in the Void with no means to escape. He and Anna could never be together again.

Yet Anna had proven her true love for him. She had been willing to give her life for her friends. Atrus had never realized that love could be that strong. Now he understood everything, and if he had to suffer to see her live, he would do it. And then he would have no regret.

"I'll do it." Atrus said. "If I succeed, will you forget about the past and help us against the demons, even if I can't make it out of the Void?"

"Certainly."

Calem chanted the spell and a large dimension door was opened before Atrus. The black swirling hole was indeed frightening to the eyes. And beyond that hole, there was nothingness. He knew Anna was inside, and he knew, one day, this hole might be his new home.

"Good luck, Prophet of the Guardian. Let His Spirit guide your path."

Atrus entered the hole.

Maya sat heavily on the stone floor of the Inner Sanctum. Her muscles ached. She had to admit that she was exhausted. A gate as grand as the Heaven's Gate was so heavy. The Fairies had finally installed the Gate again, this time closing it to prevent more trouble.

After helping with the gate, she still had to help with the Fairies. The situation was quite bad. Those trolls had managed to violently rape some of the Fairies. Now they were still sitting on the clouds, sobbing uncontrollably. She had tried every method she knew to cheer them up, but there was something she didn't understand about the Fairies. They valued their purity over anything else. And when their purity was gone, they started thinking about a quick, effective, yet fancy way to commit suicide.

It had taken all her effort to convince them that it wasn't nice to commit suicide at night, because you couldn't see where you're stabbing. Now she was left with a number of aching muscles and terrible headache. At least they would survive until tomorrow...

"You never give up, do you?" A voice called out.

"No." Maya answered firmly.

Lynn came into view and sat next to her. "You're very kind... yet stubborn."

Maya chuckled lightly. "You're not the first one to say that."

"Your... uh... owner... said that?"

"Yeah. Master Atrus used to be very angry if I did something stupid just to protect him."

"Then why did you do that?" The Fairy asked.

"Because I love him." Maya answered firmly. "I care for him. I would do anything to please him. If I should... I would even die for him..."

Lynn stared at the view of her sisters around the courtyard. "Then I suppose you love us."

"Yes." Maya smiled. "We do. That's why we're here to help."

"Ironic, isn't it?" Lynn continued. "We could do nothing in return."

"Why?"

"We are dirty." Lynn replied. "We have been tainted by demonic seeds from our enemies. I'm still surprised why the Gods haven't ward us from Heaven, for we deserve it."

"No, you don't! You just lost one fight! It's a normal event in a war!"

"I know, but we're tainted!" Lynn insisted. "You don't understand it..."

"Nothing is dirty forever!" Maya said.

She stared at her sadly. "Yet there is something in our life that stays unforgiven..."

Agar the dragon descended from the clouds and the view of the Great Forest came into view. Numerous smaller cities appeared as small dots, dwarfed by the forest. No wonder why this area was the best lumber producer in the realm. No wonder why the Elves wanted to secure this area so much.

"Yea, I can still remember..." Holgreb said dreamily. "The crushing of bones... the sound of the triumphant cry... how the great Jesse lifted his axe and..."

"Look!" Hawk pointed at the large city spot on the ground. "The town of Tiras! I can't believe the town survived the onslaught!"

"Agar, fly closer to the city." Aurelia ordered.

The dragon obeyed and approached the largest city in the southern border of Aragon. For a moment Hawk enjoyed the long chains of Impassable Mountains, a Forbidden Land, south of the city. There he had lead and lost an entire army detachment to a giant fire-breathing lizard. There he had been trapped in the mountain maze for almost a week, each day having to see one of his troops fried alive by the lizard. There he had met Atrus, Anna and Maya for the first time. They had once been only a group of lowly mercenaries looking for fame and wealth. It was impressive to think of what they had become now.

"This town surely brings back memories... bad ones, unfortunately..." he mumbled.

"You'll have to tell me that later." Aurelia grinned. "It's getting dark. I'll say we stay in the inn for now and begin our investigation tomorrow."

"Don't you think we should report to Prince Roberto right away?" Holgreb frowned.

"I propose we stay." The Elf insisted. "We can learn more from rumors in pubs and inns."

"I will stay in town with Aurelia." Hawk concluded. "Holgreb, can you ride with Agar back to Stromgard? Just tell Prince Roberto that Tiras survived the fight."

"Sure." Holgreb replied.

The dragon landed at the edge of town to avoid too much attention. Hawk and Aurelia dismounted the beast. They made sure they had all the equipment. The Elf even brought her bows along.

"Agar, go directly to Stromgard. We may still need your help." Aurelia said.

"Understood, Princess." The dragon grunted.

The dragon lifted off and flew to the north toward the capital. Hawk and Aurelia walked toward the city. The city hadn't changed a lot. A few new houses had been built at the outskirts of town. The usual city hall, markets and inns still retained their original places. The biggest brothel in town, Maya used to call it her former home, was still there. This place surely brought back memories for Hawk, but for Aurelia this was just another Human town. She tried to think of something.

"The town of Tiras..." Aurelia announced. "It is every Elf's dream to conquer this town."

"How so?"

"If this town belongs to us, we thought we could hamper the Human's careless destruction to the nearby forest."

"Nah... most of the people here are clay potters." Hawk said.

"Right. That's why the invasion never happens. We don't want innocents to get killed."

"That's very noble." Hawk smiled.

The Elf smiled and circled her arms around his and began walking slowly through the town. Lately, with all the wars going on, they had lesser time together. Now was the time. "Funny, isn't it?"

"What?"

"I mean... Humans and Elves hate each other... or used to hate each other... But when I see both of us..."

"Well, the hostility served us no good, right?" Hawk said.

"We Elves think that we can't live peacefully alongside Humans." Aurelia said slowly. "They think that Humans and Elves just don't mix together, just like water and oil. I'm afraid..."

"Afraid of what...?" Hawk looked at her.

"Afraid of us..." Aurelia stared into his eyes. "I mean... you're simply just not like what my brothers and sisters have told me about Humans. You have great care about people around you. You're unlike them... You're... different..."

"I don't think so." Hawk smiled. "You can say so because you've been around with me and Atrus and other Humans. You can see things that other Elves can't. If they're willing to give it a try, I'm sure they'll think differently."

"I'm just thinking about us..." She replied softly. "I'm sorry, I'm just being selfish... But I'm really afraid of... us... I mean... d...do you love me...?"

Hawk, who had never heard a question so direct before, blushed in red. "Uh... what...?!"

"Don't ask me to repeat the question!" She blushed as well. "You heard me."

Hawk looked around them. Some people had stopped on the street to watch the couple. This time he lowered his voice.

"Aurelia... this is not the time and place."

"What do you mean?!" She protested.

"There's a brothel at the end of this street! If the people see us like this, they will think that you're a... sorry... a prostitute..."

The Elf stared at him innocently. "What's a brothel? What's a pro... prots... a what?"

"Uh... never mind..." Hawk took her hand and walked toward the nearest inn. "Let's find a place where we can have more privacy."

When they entered the inn nobody paid any attention. The room was packed with customers. Hawk approached the innkeeper and had no problem in getting a room for the night. The room was on the second floor and was quite cozy. It had been mainly built for new couples who wanted to spend the night in complete privacy. Hawk approached the window and peeked outside.

"Funny." He muttered. "There is a war going on in the nearby region, yet this town is as peaceful as ever. Don't these people realize what fate awaits them?"

"I don't know." The Elf joined him near the window. "I mean, telling them about the war will cause widespread terror and chaos. I'll say it is wise not to tell them right now."

Hawk watched as the sun disappeared beneath the mountains and sighed. "I wonder if this war would ever be over... Who the winner will be..."

"The good guys, of course!"

"We're outnumbered. Our hope lies on the Ancient Prophecy, yet the promised Champion of the Guardian has not yet been found. Now I'm getting worried..."

"Don't worry!" The Elf circled her arms around his, drawing him closer to her. "I'm sure Atrus knows what he's doing. If Lord Guardian has a plan, we should let Him finish it."

"I wonder... what would happen later..." Hawk said dreamily.

"Simple. We're going to win this war. Then," Aurelia drew closer to him and whispered in his ear, "if Lord Guardian allows it, we can be together..."

Hawk's face turned red. "I thought Humans and Elves can't... you know..."

"Say no more..." Aurelia whispered. "You're different. I trust you."

The Elf kissed him fully on his lips. The knight staggered for a moment, then regained his composure and accepted the kiss. She could feel his hands holding her waist and drew her slender body even closer. After a while she broke the kiss before losing her breath. She looked at him lovingly.

"I... That's wonderful, Aurelia..." Hawk panted.

"I know..." She planted a light peck on his cheek. "I'm glad you're happy."

Suddenly his arms grabbed her lower body and lifted her off the ground. She clung to him as he carried her in his arms toward the double bed. He's so strong... so handsome... There he lay her down on the bed and knelt on the floor. She smiled at him while he stroked her long hair. His touch was so gentle, as if he was afraid of breaking her. Deep inside she could feel her rising passion for him. She had to say it.

"Hawk... do you want to... uh... I don't know how Humans call it... mating...?"

The knight chuckled. "No... we humans call it... making love."

"Making love?" The Elf looked puzzled. "That's odd..."

"You'll understand later."

"Okay, then..." She blushed. "Will you... make love to me...?"

This time he kissed her first, savoring her wine. Then he moved toward her most apparent detail: her long extended ears. Softly he licked and nibbled her ear playfully. The Elf, who was highly inexperienced in sex, was quite confused with the sensation she was receiving, yet she fully accepted him.

"It feels... odd..." She whispered.

"Don't you trust me?"

She gave him a wide smile. "Yes... I trust you..."

Slowly he slid her clothes up, revealing her pert breasts nicely covered in thin white satin bra. His hands reached out and cupped the two mounds and began massaging her breasts. Her nipples stood erect upon his touch. The Elf let out a moan as the new sensation hit her. He's so kind... so tender...

"Do you like it?" Hawk whispered.

"Please... do continue..."

His hands resumed their work on her breasts as he slowly kissed the nape of her neck, drawing another soft moan from her. Beads of sweat appeared from her forehead. Her eyes were half closed now. She was totally lost in the sensation. When he let his tongue brush against her nipple, her body jerked.

"Please... keep on doing that..."

Hawk put her nipple inside his mouth and began playing with it with his tongue. Her moan was getting more intense and erotic. His other hand kept on servicing her other nipple, massaging and tugging it, keeping it satisfied. The other hand crept on her lower region.

"Wait..." She suddenly shrieked. "Please don't do... that... I... I'm a princess... I want..."

"You mean you want to keep your virginity?" Hawk asked.

"Vir... uh... vigr... uh... what?"

"Uh... I mean... you don't want us to do an intercourse, right?"

"Inter... what?!"

"Never mind... But don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

His hand slid her panties aside, revealing her pussy lightly covered with dark brown bush. Slowly he traced the tender skin with his finger and quickly found her clit under its petals. Tenderly he began to massage her love pearl, making her squirm in pleasure. Unfamiliar with the sensation, she reached her climax quickly and cried as the wave of pleasure bombarded her. Her muscles tensed and her back arched. When the sensation had passed, her body collapsed onto the bed. Her body was covered with sweat and her breathing was ragged. Her nether region was wet with her vaginal fluid.
"Well?" Hawk asked. "How was it?"

"It was... very good... T...thank you..." She blushed again.

"I'm glad you like it."

Hawk kissed her forehead and was about to bid good night when she pushed him off her and onto the bed. In turn, she climbed on him and inspected his body.

"Not fair! You've played around with my body. Now it's my turn!"

Aurelia proceeded to copy his previous move. The problem was that her satin dress was far easier to remove than his thick leather armor. Hawk gratefully helped her with it. As soon as his armor was off, Aurelia kissed him passionately while massaging his broad chest. Slowly she trailed her tongue down his neck while her hands expertly massaged his chest. For a girl who didn't even know how to correctly please a Human male, she was doing a good job. Her position also allowed Hawk to get a clear view of her ample breasts. His member instantly grew hard, an occurrence she had never seen before.

"W...what was that...?" She pointed at it.

"Eh...?"

"This is interesting..." She touched the bulging part on his pants and giggled as it twitched. "Hey, look at that! This is interesting..."

"Um... Aurelia...? Shall... shall we continue...?"

"Hang on... let me check this out..."

She opened his pants and his member sprang free. She touched it with her hands, feeling its hardness. Her treatment, however, provided the necessary stimulation for him.

"You like that?" Aurelia asked.

"Uh... Yeah..."

"So if I touch this thing... Uh... what do you call this...?"

"It's a penis... it's sort of the male version of female clitoris..."

"Clirt... what? Uh, never mind. I'll never remember any of the Human words anyway. May I... uh... use my mouth?"

"By all means..."

The Elf carefully extended her tongue and gave a quick lick. After knowing that this 'object' was not poisonous, she proceeded to lick the entire head of his member. He let out a groan as she licked his penis eagerly, driven by curiosity and passion to please him. Without warning she put the entire head inside her mouth and sucked lightly. Her action was rewarded with a moan of pleasure.

"Aurelia... I... I can't hold on..."

He finally reached climax and shot his load into her mouth. She was taken by surprise, but swallowed it until the last drop. When everything was finished, he found her looking at him in fear.

"Is... is that okay...? I mean... I swallowed it..." She asked.

"No problem, sweetie..." Hawk soothed her. "It's not poisonous at all."

"Am... am I going to bear your baby...?"

"No." He chuckled. "You will not get pregnant by doing that."

"Last question..." She looked into his eyes. "Did... did you like that...?"

He kissed her forehead again. "That was wonderful, sweetie, thank you."

He called me sweetie... Her heart was flushed with joy. He was happy with her performance. That was all she needed to know. Slowly she joined him in bed and cuddled in his arms, enjoying each other's warmth.

"I wish this will last forever..." She muttered.

"Nothing is impossible, sweetie... nothing is..."

Soon fatigue overcame her and she began to feel sleepy. Hawk pulled the blanket over both of them and slowly stroked her long hair. She was in heaven. As she closed her eyes, she smiled, knowing that the man she loved would be there when she woke up.

What am I doing here?!

Atrus blinked his eyes, but only darkness greeted him. His head was dizzy. Carefully he reached out with his hand, but he found nothing graspable. He could not even understand why he could stand on his feet when he found nothing under them. Now he understood why this place was called Void. He was in the middle of nothingness.

And he had to navigate through it to confront Gareth and rescue Anna.

Confront Gareth? Is that why I'm here...?

No. That's not why he was here. In fact, if he had the chance, he would definitely dispose Gareth with his own hands. He was definitely here to rescue Anna.

She's probably dead...

NO! The thought pounded the back of his mind. He didn't know where it came from. He could see nobody nearby.

Forget it! It's not worth your life!

NO! He clutched his head in attempt to dispose the thought. His eyes wandered in panic to find the invisible intruder, but again, only darkness enveloped him.

"Who are you?!" He drew his sword. "Show yourself and fight me!"

Silence.

"Gareth Lightbringer! Fight me, you coward!"

You can't defeat me...

"What...?!" The voice definitely came from nowhere around him. It was inside his head.

You can't defeat me...

"Face me! I'll show you otherwise!"

You can't defeat me... for I am you...

"What?! Who are you?!"

I am you... Atrus White Lion... The royal knight of the kingdom of Aragon... The famed Demon Slayer... the great Prophet of the Guardian...

"It can't be!" Atrus answered quickly. "I am Atrus! You mean I'm talking to myself?!"

I am you... and I am your worst nightmare...

"I don't have time for this!" Atrus replied. "I have to save Anna!"

Why do you have to save her?

"Because I... Why should I tell you!" Atrus shot back.

Perhaps because you love her...?

"Yes, I love her, now get lost!!"

You can't lie to me...

"What are you talking about?!"

You can lie to her, but not to yourself...

"I love her!" Atrus repeated. "And no one can change that!"

How about Maya, the slave of yours? How about that pretty girl Sylvia you met at Labrador?

"What...?" Atrus hesitated.

See... You don't even know why you love her. I'd bet you don't even know what love is.

"I love her and that's that!" Atrus couldn't hold his anger.

Want to prove it?

"I don't have the time to play around!"

I can help you find her...

Atrus was silent for a while. "You mean she's still alive?" He asked.

I don't know, but I can find her. You will help me.

"Why should I help you?!" Atrus asked angrily.

Because you have no other choice.

He tried to hold his anger. No matter how much he argued, the voice was right. He had to play the game, or else he and Anna would be trapped here forever.

"Very well."

And the nightmare began...

Prince Roberto stood on the castle courtyard, facing his troops. He had decided to oversee the entire training session himself. The condition was so critical that the training was held day and night, of course with reasonable rotation for the troops to get their rest. The rotation, however, didn't work the same for the trainers. He felt tired, and extremely stupid. Even the dumbest trainer in the realm would call training troops in the middle of the night the dumbest thing anyone would do.

But he could see some improvement. The soldiers now readily obeyed every command. That would decrease the chance of soldiers dispersing before the enemies. That, however, didn't eliminate the chance of them getting killed in the battle. And for those who could still think, when facing far greater odds, the first thing that came in mind was to retreat, or make sure somebody kept your last will.

Unfortunately, the undead army couldn't think, let alone feel fear and retreat.

He was about to drink his ninth cup of tea when one guard cried out, "The dragon is back!"

The golden dragon landed on the castle courtyard. Roberto was expecting to see the complete party to leap out of the dragon's back, but was surprised to see only the Dwarf.

"Where are the others?" He asked.

"We hovered around Tiras. Hawk and Aurelia decided to stay in the town to spy around. I was ordered back to report..."

"Wait a minute!" Roberto eyed him. "You mean they're staying in Tiras?!"

"Yeah, I mean, I tried to stop them, but they seemed to know what they're doing..."

"What do you mean?!!" Roberto roared, attracting some attention around the courtyard. "They don't know what they're doing!! Tiras was utterly destroyed two days ago!! The town was burned down to the ground and the citizens were slaughtered! The rest of them fled to Blackwell as refugees!"

"That can't be!" Holgreb countered. "The town was intact! We saw people walking around the streets..."

"When they realized there is a huge army of zombies heading their way?" Roberto asked. "But wait a minute... Are you sure the town was intact? Are you sure it was Tiras?"

"Hawk was very sure about it. He seemed to know the town."

Roberto's eyes opened suddenly. He called his head instructor. "Order all soldiers to have a rest for two hours, then rally the entire army! You are to march as fast as possible to Blackwell and mount a defense on Castle Stone! Be prepared for assault and wait for reinforcements!"

"Wow, what's with the rush, boy?" Holgreb asked.

"Get on the lizard! We have to go to Tiras immediately!"

The two warriors climbed the dragon's back. "Can't you tell me what's going on?"

"Agar, take us to Tiras as fast as possible!"

Agar the dragon lifted off and soared through the night air toward the south.

"If your report is true, then the town was just an illusion." Roberto answered coldly. "It was a trap, and they're in grave danger..."

He was marvelous. His member slammed in and out of her, drawing pleasure to the center of her brain. She was definitely enjoying herself. Her body was drenched with sweat from hours of lovemaking. Her breath was heavy. Her heart was flushed with passion and lust.

Another shattering climax swept over her brain, but she wanted more. Her pussy had become tender and she knew she wouldn't be able to walk well for at least the next three days, but who cared. She was on top of the world, and she wouldn't want to go down, ever.

But then he saw a figure staring at them from the immerse darkness. She couldn't read the expression, for there was none, but the voice was familiar... very familiar.

Anna...

For instant her concentration was broken, yet the desire took over her again. Her hips rocked uncontrollably as another climax was approaching.

Anna...

"Atrus...?"

Her brain cried out, annoyed with the interruption. Her lips closed tightly as her mind tortured her with the unsatisfied desire. She looked at her current lover. He was so strong. He could satisfy her hunger whenever she needed it. She loved him so much...

Another pain rocked through her brain. Love...? What is love...? Again confusion swept over her. Beneath her, her lover's member kept on thrusting inside of her, keeping her stimulated, yet unsatisfied.

Anna...

"Atrus, stop it!!" She cried. "Can't you see I'm busy?!"

Anna...

"Atrus, you're delaying my release! I want my release!"

Anna...

"Atrus!!"

Anna...

"Atrus White Lion!" She cried with rage. "I hate you!!"

Suddenly the image of Atrus disappeared in the darkness. Unfortunately, her lover also disappeared, leaving her alone in the darkness, crying, still unsatisfied. Another feeling swept through her, a feeling she hadn't felt before since the nightmare began. Her inner heart cried out in agony, supplying her, not with lust and desire, but with guilt.

"What have I said...? What have I done...?"

You're a slut!

"No, that voice again!" She cried. "Get out of my head!"

You're a slut! You know nothing about love!

"What?! I know about love! I know I love..."

She hesitated. Somewhere in her heart, she knew that she had loved Atrus White Lion before. But something in her brain told her otherwise. The two forces struggled for supremacy, filling her with desire, lust and guilt.

You love Atrus, but he never loves you...

"What?"

He loves other girls... You're not one of them...

"No..." She replied weakly.

You can't change the fact. You have a desire, and it is unsatisfied. Then why bother?

"Why bother...?"

Why do you live a wretched live waiting for fulfillment that may never come? If he dumps you, he ruins your life. It's not worth the risk...

The tingle in her crotch reminded her of the unfinished session of lovemaking. Soon she realized that there was nothing more in this world than pleasure. Slowly her hand reached out for her pussy and began teasing it.

The guilt lost, and the lust won the match.

Hawk lay peacefully on the large bed, thinking of his past life. He remembered how he'd left home to work in the military. For a family as poor as his, his dad couldn't afford good education, and the military was the only hope for Hawk to get a proper schooling. He had made his way through the military, achieving the title of the youngest Captain in the history. He had to admit that the responsibility as a Captain was a hard one. He was responsible for his own troops in his detachment. He had to work twice as hard to gain the respect from his troops. A Captain at the age of 25 rarely got any respect from his men.

But after he met Atrus, his life had changed. He had found new courage. He had succeeded in many tasks, finally giving him the title of the chief trainer for the elite royal army. His further involvement in Atrus' cause had also caused him to meet this beautiful Elf-girl, who was now sleeping peacefully in his arms. Aurelia was clutching him so close that he could feel her heartbeat. Her silky long hair lay on his chest. Tirelessly he stroked her hair, wanting to please her in every moment. He loved her so much...

Soon drowsiness took control. He had to admit that training troops for almost all day long was very exhausting. He began to feel really sleepy. As he nearly closed his eyes, he enjoyed, probably for the last time, the vast space and the beautiful sparkle of stars in the sky...

Stars in the sky...?!

His eyes opened suddenly. He inspected his surrounding, but the room was quite normal. And the ceiling was fine. But he could swear that he just saw open sky. His drowsiness demanded attention but he ignored it. Just like his own trainer used to say; if you feel that you are in danger, you probably are.

"Aurelia..." He whispered.

No answer.

"Aurelia...!"

She let out a soft whimper. He knew that waking a girl up this late after a very satisfying lovemaking session was a dumb idea. But he knew something was very wrong.

"Aurelia...! Wake up, sweetie...!"

"What time is it...?" Aurelia asked softly.

"I don't know... probably around midnight..."

She gave him a blank look. "So... do you know what you're doing...?" She asked.

"Don't give me that look!" He lowered his voice. "I think something is really wrong here."

"Are you okay...?" She put her palm on his forehead. "It's perfectly fine here..."

"I don't think so..." He thought for a while. "Dress up. We're going."

"In the middle of the night?!" Aurelia was confused.

"If trouble arises, I don't want to be inside this build..."

He couldn't finish his sentence when he heard a strange croaking sound from somewhere downstairs.

"What was that...?" The Elf asked.

"You heard that too?"

Elves were gifted with superior senses, making them great hunters. But their senses worked better in detecting danger. Her long ears twitched repeatedly as she tried to listen carefully. The voice came again, this time stronger. It was something she had never heard before. That could mean trouble.

"Dress up!" Hawk ordered. "And keep your ears open!"

This time she obeyed. Hawk also put his armor on. He didn't bring his spear along for this journey, but further investigation yielded an old mop under the bed which, probably, could be used in a similar way, although it wouldn't produce similar result. Aurelia, on the other hand, did bring her bows and a few arrows. Her trusty short blade was still strapped on her belt. A hunter never left home without it.

The creaking sound continued, this time coming from the nearby stairs. It seemed as if something was moving toward their room, very slowly. Then came the knock on the door.

"Answer it, but be careful." Hawk whispered.

Aurelia approached the door, but it swung open right before her face, knocking her backward. When she recovered, her eyes were fixed on the creature before her. Her body tensed and shivered with fear. She had never seen a zombie before. The creature was a man, or what was left of it. His clothes were torn here and there. Most part of his flesh were rotting off and hanging on the dirty bones. The face was highly disfigured, with one of his eyeballs missing. The foul smell of rotten flesh invaded her nostrils. It was definitely not a pretty sensation.

The creature groaned with whatever was left in his voice cords and raised his hand, ready to strike her. Although the movement was sluggish and slow, Aurelia was completely paralyzed with fear. Her body refused to move. She could only watch in horror as the zombie swung his hand toward her head.

The mop met him. Hawk hacked him with the mop head, pushing him backward toward the hallway. There he could see at least two more zombies trying to make their way up the stairs. Hawk returned to his original target and hacked the zombie toward the stairs. He hadn't practiced his mop skill for years, but his ferocity overwhelmed the creature. With a final blow, the zombie fell down the stairs, bringing his two other fellows with him.

Hawk returned to his friend and slapped her cheek lightly several times, "Aurelia...! Come on! We have to get out of here!"

"Wha... what was that....?"

Hawk picked a footstool, broke it apart, slammed the door shut and jammed the handle with the piece of wood. "One of the undead, probably. I'll try to hold them up. Start planning our escape route!"

Aurelia carefully approached the window and peeked outside. "Oh dear... Hawk... you... you've got to see this..."

Hawk joined her near the window and was stunned. The proud town of Tiras was gone. There was nothing but ruins. The buildings had been burned into the ground, leaving black piles of planks and stones. The entire town had been turned into a ghost town.

And ghosts crawled all around the town. The streets were now crowded with zombies, all heading toward the inn Hawk and Aurelia were staying in.

"Illusions..." Hawk mumbled. "They were all illusions... I wasn't dreaming just now... The town was gone..."

"We're trapped," Aurelia said, "They got us surrounded."

Somebody had already started slamming at the jammed door. "I'm not going to give up easily!" said Hawk. "We're going down, and we're going through them!"

Hawk opened the nearest cupboard and got some dirty leather cloths and bedcovers. Quickly he put them all on around his shoulders as cloaks. Then he ran toward the Aurelia, hugged her tight and secured his grip with the mop.

"Uh... honey... I know this is nice, but... what are you doing...?"

"You don't want to know," said Hawk. "Close your eyes."

As the door slammed open behind them, Hawk ran toward the window and, ignoring Aurelia's protest, leaped toward it. She expected a loud crashing sound and nasty wounds from breaking the glass, but none of those came. They just somehow went through the window. Hawk bent his body slightly to provide full protection for her. And with precise, careful, and lucky calculation, he landed on the hard ground directly on his back just down his neck. Normally, jumping from second floor and landing in this position could be fatal, but the multiple cloaks on his back absorbed most of the blow. Using his inertia he rolled down the street and stopped safely on his bottom, still hugging the frantic Elf.

His back ached so badly, but he forced himself on his feet and hacked the nearest zombie on the head with the mop. Another leap followed by a complete swing quickly secured the landing area from the zombies.

"Are you going to sit there forever?!" he yelled.

"How... how did...?" she mumbled.

Another unlucky zombie tried his luck. Hawk hacked his neck with all his might that the head fell over and landed next to Aurelia. The Elf shrieked and was instantly on her feet.

"Okay! I'm up! Just get me out of here!"
"Stay close to me!" Hawk ordered. "I can be very dangerous with a mop!"

More zombies attacked them. Aurelia tried her best to remain on his back while he smacked everything he saw. But the zombies seemed to be endless, and they knew they couldn't fight forever.

"Anybody has an idea where to go?!" He asked.

"Graa!!" A zombie volunteered, but Hawk smacked him hard.

"Pick a direction!" He yelled. "Where's north?!"

Legends used to say that Elves were gifted with superior sense of direction. She looked for the sun, which wasn't usually around during midnight. Now Aurelia knew that the legends were totally wrong. "I don't know! Don't ask me!" She protested.

"You're no help." He complained. "Just follow me! We're going north... I guess..."

And the couple fought on, slowly making their way through the ocean of the undead.

The girl cried in ecstasy as she hit her climax. Her body tensed uncontrollably from the pleasure. The man embraced the girl tightly as if he feared of letting her go. Slowly she carried him toward his release. He groaned as he exploded inside her, filling her with his love. The couple embraced for a while, sharing warmth with each other.

"Atrus... After your mission is done... I want to be yours... forever..."

The words rang in his ears, awakening all those memories that had been well kept inside for too long. It had been kept too well. Now it was screaming back at him.

The scene changed to a small, cozy bedroom with a small bed. Another couple, which he recognized well, was on it, and they were making another sweet love. The man slowly moved inside her, pleased by her soft moan of pleasure. He played with her well-shaped breasts and put her nipple inside his mouth. She let out another moan as he sucked her nipple softly. His other hand reached out for her nether region and found her love pearl. While still slowly fucking her, he played with her clit, sending sparks of pleasure to her brain. The couple continued their love act until finally satisfaction came into play.

"I love you... Atrus..."

The words rang in his ears again. He couldn't deny it. It was he. He knew he had done it. He had felt the feeling. Now he felt it again.

Atrus stood in silence, watching as all events of his live unfolded. He knew he was not supposed to be here. He knew he was in the middle of nowhere. He knew that what was happening before his eyes wasn't real. But he knew it was a reality. He still remembered it. He still remembered every single action he'd done. And all the words he'd heard...

He'd met Sylvia only once in Labrador, and only for a short period of time. But her words brought back all those short, yet wonderful memories they'd had together. She was his first love. She was the first one who confessed her true love to him. She was the one who was committed to love him forever. Yet because of his hesitation, the wonderful hope was left unanswered. Until now...

He loved Maya. He loved her so much for what she had done for him. She was a friend, a partner, a protector, and a mentor. From the day that he'd released her from her slavery, she had been with him, through good and bad times. She was always there when he needed her. She was always there when he needed love. She was totally committed to him. She had done her part. He hadn't done his.

And the question came again.

Who do you love?

He didn't answer directly. He was in deep thought. He didn't know how to answer it. In fact, he'd never been asked the question. And if he were asked the question right now, he wouldn't know the answer. He didn't know anything about love.

Who do you love?

He just stared helplessly into the darkness as the question rang in his head.

Agar, with Prince Roberto and Holgreb on its back, descended from the clouds. The land was dark, but strange rumble from beneath them convinced that it wasn't just another ordinary night.

As the dragon approached the ruined city, the horrible sight quickly came into view. The town had really been burned to the ground. Now the place was fully littered with creatures they hadn't seen before. The creatures didn't look very excited to see them and began throwing whatever they could throw at the dragon. The dragon skillfully evaded the flying debris and descended upon the horde.

"May I fire back, Prince Roberto?" Agar groaned.

"No." Roberto responded. "We need to find them first. Fly closer to the city!"

Agar flew closer toward the ruins of Tiras. The city and the surrounding area were completely packed with the undead creatures. The sight had already sent a fatal blow to Roberto's morale. He and his puny half-trained army had to fight against these creatures, and there might be many more of them. And now he was searching his best commander and one of the Warriors of the Guardian, who were probably trapped inside enemy's line.

"There they are!"

Holgreb was pointing at a spot at the outskirts of the town. Inside the seemingly endless wave of zombies was a small patch of clear ground. Two figures were there, desperately fighting the creatures. The enemies had pinned them down and they were making their last stand against a big rocky hill, therefor securing their backs. Not for long, for several zombies were creeping from the back of the hill, ready to strike them from the back.

Agar sent three quick volleys of energy balls at the surrounding area, disintegrating some of the attackers, and raced toward the hill. As the dragon made a pass, Holgreb leaped from the dragon, landed of the hill and killed the zombies hiding there with his axe.

"It's so damn good to see you again!" Aurelia cried.

"Come later and we'd be dead!" Hawk added.

"No, you won't be too useful if you're dead!" Roberto replied. "We can't land here. I'll see you north of the town! We'll clear the area there!"

Then Agar flew toward the destination, spitting energy balls at the enemies. All surviving zombies attempted to charge, but Hawk hacked them with his trusty mop. Aurelia easily avoided the slow attacks and skillfully slit the zombies' delicate rotten throat whenever possible. The tide turned quickly when Holgreb joined the party. The path was cleared, for now.

Hawk looked around, finding the Dwarf staring at him. "What?!"

"A mop...?" Holgreb asked.

"Oh, this...? You haven't seen it before?"

"You beat those creatures with a mop?!"

"Even a humble mop, when handled correctly, could 'clean' the entire army!" Hawk replied proudly. "Well... not really..."

"That really reminds me of the time when I was fighting this Dark Horde from southern..."

"Holgreb?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up!"

"Right..."

"Let's go, boys!" Aurelia interrupted. "I want to get out of here, and I want to do so now!!"

The group ran along the cleared path, killing the surviving creatures that were unlucky enough to be on their way. Because of the 'false north' path Hawk had taken earlier, they had to run through the ruins again, fighting the zombies to keep them at bay. Even the zombies' huge number couldn't match the party's skill and ferocity. The party passed on, leaving trails of rotten corpses behind them.

The dragon waited on a small opening, which it had cleared earlier. The party dodged the many craters on the ground. Everybody climbed up. Meanwhile the zombies advanced from all directions slowly, but surely threatening the beast.

"They're crazy!" Holgreb roared. "Can't they see?! They're up against a dragon!"

"They're zombies." The Elf replied. "They're mindless."

"Let's get out of here, Agar!" Roberto yelled.

The dragon lifted off and quickly gained altitude, cleverly evading the stones from the enraged zombies. The dragon was soon out of range, but the undead didn't give up. Instead, they followed the beast as it headed to the north.

"They're following us!" Roberto said. "The castle defense isn't ready yet! If they keep on advancing, the battle will occur sooner than we expected!"

"None of us want to volunteer to slow them down, that's for sure." Hawk grumbled.

"I know!" Aurelia flicked her fingers. "We can burn the forest! That'll slow them down!" She glanced at Roberto. "That is, if you don't mind me burning forests in your territory."

Roberto stared at the thick column of walking dead beneath them. "Not at all... My dad is going to kill me for this..." He grinned. "Your mother would kill you too. I don't have to die alone."

"Can Agar do that?" The Dwarf asked.

"My energy breath explodes, but doesn't burn." Agar replied in his heavy voice.

"I can use my arrows!" The Elf insisted. "I still have five arrows left."

"You want to burn the entire forest with only five arrows?" Hawk asked.

Aurelia smirked. "Underestimating an Elf's bow skill will be your biggest mistake, mister!"

The Elf tore the sleeve of her shirt into smaller pieces and wound each piece on the arrow tip. Then she produced a leather pouch from her bag. Inside it was golden yellow powdery sand-like substance.

"We found this around Mount Karigor after the volcanic eruption. It burns very easily."

"Oh, we call it sulfur." Hawk explained. "It's highly volatile."

"Vlora... vuola... what?!"

"Never mind..."

"Holgreb, can I borrow your axe?"

Carefully Aurelia smeared each cloth-covered arrow tip with sulfur. The sharp scent stung everybody's nostrils, but in this kind of situation, no one complained. Then she put the sharp axe blade on her lap and prepared her short blade.

"Agar, make a short pass toward the forest and fly on a straight line!"

The dragon complied. The Elf grouped all five arrows together and put the tip on the axe blade. With a quick stroke, she swept her blade over the metal, creating sparks. After several tries, all five sulfur-smeared arrows caught the sparks and were ablaze. Then she positioned all arrows on her bow.

"Firing all five arrows at once..." Roberto commented. "That's something..."

"Watch and learn, Humans!"

As the dragon flew over the forest, Aurelia released the arrows, sending all five burning bolts to five different directions. The party waited expectantly for bright flash beneath the dark trees. If the forest did burn, it would buy them some time to mount some defense around Castle Stoke. If the trick failed, Castle Stoke would be doomed.

"Did it work?" Holgreb asked.

"Don't ruin the suspense." Hawk mumbled.

"Right."

Suddenly Aurelia pointed at a direction. "Look! It works!"

A bright spot appeared beneath the darkness. Hope arose as flames appeared from the trees, illuminating nearby area. The flame burned fiercely through the leaves and caught the next trees around it in fire. Soon, a small patch of burning forest was formed.

"Look!" Roberto pointed at another spot in the forest. "There's another one!"

Soon at five different spots fire began to blaze. The strong autumn wind involuntarily helped spreading the havoc across the forest. A few minutes later, a long line of fire had been formed between the Kingdom of Aragon and the undead-infested Southern Aragon. Slowly the firewall crept north, expanding the chasm. From the other side, the horde of zombies had reached the fire and walked through it. The rotten flesh was caught in fire and a horrible chorus of death filled the air. Burning figures danced around the ground and collapsed soon as the flame devoured them.

"Won't the fire burn toward the castle?" Holgreb asked.

"There's a small river up north. It should stop it from spreading north." Hawk replied.

An impenetrable wall had been made, yet the mindless creatures marched forward. The fire kept on spreading, catching the unsuspecting zombies in fire and burned them to death. Roberto stared sadly at the fire. Those creatures had used to be his people, and now he had to slaughter them to protect others. He could feel the lump in his throat. To be a prince was not tough. To be a good prince was.

"Soon the smell of burning flesh will reach here, and I don't want to be around when it does." Said Hawk. "I propose leaving the area and retreating to Castle Stoke."

"Agreed, Captain." Roberto replied. "Agar, take us there. The real battle is yet to begin."

The lone figure sat in the darkness. Her moan was the only thing that kept away the silence. Her body glistened with sweat. Her hands tirelessly played with her wet pussy, pumping it with her fingers. Her breathing was ragged as if her lungs were pumping gravel instead of air. Her eyes were half-closed, her mouth stayed open, ready to release the scream of victory and satisfaction... which never came.

She didn't know how long she had been here. Instead, she didn't really care. She had found a purpose here, and she wasn't going anywhere until it was achieved. And if it would take forever, then again, she wouldn't care.

Her eyes stared blankly into the darkness. She slammed her four fingers inside her wet pussy, trying to enjoy whatever little sensation it was giving her. Her expression reflected the deep depression and frustration she was feeling. Her moan kept on getting stronger and stronger, yet the strongest feeling she desired hadn't come for her.

Another tingling sensation came from inside her head. She screamed in desperation and clutched her head. Her mind was tortured, yet would never be defeated. To be exact, whoever was doing this to her didn't want her to be defeated too soon. She was to suffer, if necessary, forever.

A sharp, spiky object scratched her palm. Deeply annoyed and frustrated, she reached out and pulled it off, stopping once she felt a sharp pain on the side of her head. She held her burning left ear and found the object sticking to it. Suddenly something, somewhere in her heart stirred. She felt the same tingling feeling at the other side of her head. Her other hand found her left ear and touched the object.

A rush of memory hit the back of her head. She knew what she was holding... the earrings. And only one thing could explain its existence.

Atrus...

The name echoed in her head. The memory came back to her mind. She remembered the first day when she'd met him. She remembered how she had hurt him, yet he'd treated her kindly. She remembered how he had blamed himself badly for putting her in trouble. She remembered how he'd promised to protect her. And she remembered the countless times that Atrus had saved her live after that promise.

Atrus had given her the earrings for her birthday. She remembered the day when he had hurt her feeling, terribly. Then he had come back and apologized to her.

The earrings are just for a bribe... The voice came back.

"No!" She shot back. Atrus didn't give the earrings for a bribe. He gave them because...

Because he loves you? The voice said again.

Doubt overcame her again. She didn't know. He'd never told her. But she remembered everything they'd been through. She remembered how he'd come and faced the trap sprung for him by the demons in Gideon, just to save her. She remembered how bright his face had been when he saw her again after his disappearance in Gideon. She remembered how he'd saved her from being melted by hot lava in Mount Karigor. She remembered how his gaze could take away her fears.

"Yes..." She answered finally.

He doesn't love you. He loves others, but not you.

The voice was right. She knew Atrus loved Maya very much. But it didn't matter. She suddenly felt determination growing inside of her. She knew it now. She knew how much she loved him. The feeling that had been trapped inside of her now came out, defeating her lust.

He doesn't love you! The voice repeated.

"Yes..." She answered slowly. "He loves me."

Why do you do this...? The voice said again. Why do you wait for something that won't come true?

"Because I know it will." She smiled. "I love him so much. Atrus is the one."

But why...?

"Because he loves me first." She answered slowly. "He loves me. That's why I love him."

And everything around her went bright.

The defense in Blackwell was almost ready. All citizens had abandoned the town and retreated to Castle Stoke. The castle stood proud on top of a small hill with perfect view to surrounding area. A small moat had been built surrounding the castle. The wooden gate had been converted into a mechanical extendable bridge for the moat. When completely closed, the castle should survive a siege for a while until reinforcement arrived.

Prince Roberto stood on the castle wall, looking at the southern sky. Everything was almost set, but doubt still occupied his mind. He had seen the undead army with his own eyes. He had seen their number. An army like that could walk through the walls of Stromgard and flatten the entire complex in less than a day. The reinforcement from the west and north was coming, but until then he had only a group of ill-trained Royal Guards and a ragtag of untrained militia to defend the area, probably not enough to repel a simple local peasant revolt. The battle before him might be the last battle Aragon would face. If he failed, he doubted he would survive the battlefield, let alone see another one.

His though changed to Maya. The thought that she was safe in Heaven eased his mind. He knew that Maya was a formidable fighter as well, but unlike him, a battlefield was not her home. He didn't want her to get hurt. He cared for her, just as she cared for him. He had told her so back in the Pyramid of Salthi, where she had been completely paralyzed by the evil Lich. He really doubted she could hear him at that time, but he didn't mind. If he survived the battle, he would let her know.

"Enjoying the view?" The Elf's sweet melodious voice came from behind him.

"Yeah... probably for the last time."

"Make sure the soldiers can't hear you saying it, or it will really be your last." Aurelia said.

"Honestly I don't feel good about this battle."

"Make sense." She replied. "This is going to be your first major battle, right?"

"How do you know?"

"Your expression is just like my brother's when he had his first battle." Aurelia replied. "He kept on saying that he probably wouldn't survive the battle against the Dark Elves."

"But did the battle involve killing your own people?" Roberto countered.

"No, I suppose, but it doesn't make any difference."

"Yes, it does!" The prince snarled. "I'm fighting those I once vowed to protect!"

"So although they're trying to kill you, you can't kill them?"

"It feels wrong..." The prince hesitated. "It's dishonorable."

"Oh...?" Aurelia was silent for a while. "Let me ask you this. What is a good knight?"

"The one who defeats his enemies honorably and protects the weak." Roberto replied.

"Wrong." The Elf shot back. "A good knight is the one who survives the battle."

"What?!"

"You're not much of a use when you're dead, so why bother dying in battle?"

"But we'll die honorably!" Roberto said.

"Well, yeah... they'll dedicate a plague in the palace garden and your name will be mentioned in every piper's song. Is that what you want?"

The young prince fell silent. "I suppose not..."

"Look, Roberto, I know your feeling. Those zombies might be your former citizens. But they're no longer themselves. You're fighting against demonic abominations, and if you fail, more and more innocent people you vowed to protect will suffer."

"So I have to stay alive... even though that means I have to withdraw?"

She nodded. "You can always fight another day."

"But if the demons slaughter the citizens here in Blackwell, they can animate more zombies and their army will soon become unstoppable."

"Then we have the solution." Aurelia gazed to the southern sky. "We must win."

The man stood silently on the ground. The smell of newly burnt grass made him sick, but behind it was the natural scent of burnt flesh. Burnt rotten flesh... He didn't mind. For him, the smell cleared his heart and purify his soul.
He smiled as thousands of souls soared through the space around him. Unlike him, however, they were screaming and crying in agony. The curse was upon them, and there was no way of reversing the process. The agony was eternal.

Around him lay a pile of thousands, burnt corpses of the zombies stretching across the forest. The forest, in fact, was no more, replaced by scorched land which, if not treated, would turn into wasteland in a year or so. The thought of total destruction made him flinch, but he had no problem to embrace it. His part of destruction was renewable any time.

"Rise, my legion!" He lifted his cloak-covered hand. "Rise and rule supreme!"

The souls screamed as the curse took effect. The scorched body suddenly rattled on the ground, demanding for hostages. Powerful force sucked the poor souls and bound them to the rotten bodies. They cried as whatever living energy was left in them was sucked dry. The burnt flesh regained small part of their form, keeping the already fragile bodies and their captured souls together.

The man smiled mischievously. The fall of Aragon was at hand.

He stared into the darkness. It was so quiet, so lifeless, just like what his heart was feeling. He had been a loner once, so loneliness was no stranger to him. But he'd never felt such loneliness before. And inside his head, the battle for supremacy raged.

Who do you love?

He just groaned in confusion. He'd been thinking about it for Gods knew how long, yet the argument went forever. Even an experienced, well-trained Ranger and famous Demon Slayer couldn't handle everything. They didn't teach anything about matchmaking in Ranger camp.

He could feel fatigue enveloping him. He didn't know how long he had been inside the void, without any food or sleep. And he knew, back in the realm, his friends were probably fighting for their lives against the undead army. And he couldn't help. Even the Prophet of the Guardian couldn't be in two places at the same time.

Who do you love?

He cringed. He had too much to think about, his brain could explode at any time. He could feel annoying pain at the side of his head already. He moved his hands to massage it and was surprised to feel sharp pain when he did.

"What the...?" He felt his head for a while. He could feel a long strip of cloth wound around his head. "A bandage... why...?"

The memory flowed back to him. He remembered the huge pyramid in the middle of the desert... the Pyramid of Salthi, the remains of an extinct race east of the Land of the Dwarves. He instantly felt the dread once remembering the place. But he chose to struggle with his shadowed memory. He remembered the abandoned city and the faithful yet unfriendly critters. He faintly remembered how Maya had been almost petrified. He wouldn't forget the monster face who had done it. He clearly remembered...

Anna...

The memory came flowing back to him. He remembered the dreaded moment when the Lich had taken her away from him. He could recall her sad gaze which had probably been her last. He had had the wound on his head, and he had vowed to keep it until now.

He still couldn't believe it. He had been there to save Maya's life. He had been willing to trade his life for her survival. Yet Anna had exchanged her life for both of them. She could have lead the party. She could have achieved victory over the undead. She could have resumed their quest to find the Champion of the Guardian. She could have enjoyed the glory and fame she deserved, instead of staying in the middle of cold, immerse darkness of the Void.

But she had chosen it. Glory and fame meant nothing to her.

Why did she do that?

"Because I love you..." He remembered her saying. "It's a love that will never come true..."

He choked slightly as the words rang in his head. She had loved him from the start. He had left her once, but she'd come and found him. He could recall the loneliness without her. Her kind treatment had indeed incited a warm feeling he'd never felt before. He loved her, but when he realized it, it was too late. She was gone, probably forever.

And now, he had a second chance.

Who do you love?

"A fine girl named Adriana Freesland." He stated firmly to the invisible speaker.

Why?

"Because she loves me..." He said slowly. "She loves me so much that she has been willing to give up her life for my life and happiness... I failed to realize it, yet now I've seen the light..." He took a deep breath, "She's the one... she's the one..."

Lynn watched silently as Maya donned her gloves and shoes. She buckled her leather belt and strapped her trusty blade and five throwing knives on their respective slots. Then she took her hair-bow, pony-tailed her hair and tied the bow. She picked her leather pouch and flung it around her shoulder.

"Do you really have to do this, Miss Maya?"

"Yes." She answered hastily.

"But why?" Lynn asked desperately. "You're safe here in Heaven!"

"And watch my friends dying down there?!" Maya shot back. "I'm going to help them!"

"But it's too dangerous!!"

"Well, danger was and still is my best lover!"

"You're mad, aren't you?" Lynn asked carefully. "Because we're not willing to help."

"There's no reason." She answered simply. "Master Atrus didn't blame you. Why should I?"

Lastly she took her father's amulet and put it around her neck. She hummed softly as the magical power entered her body. The amulet had been her father's last gift for her. It seemed to have a magical power of decreasing her body weight, therefor improving her overall speed and agility in battle. She softly squeezed the metal amulet, recounting good memories they'd been through together.

"I still remember the time when we gave him the amulet." Lynn mumbled.

"You gave this to my father?" Maya asked.

The Fairy nodded. "He was a good man. He was willing to endanger himself for the sake of his people. You should be proud of him."

"I am. That's why I'm still fighting in his memory."

"Even if death is the consequences?"

"Yes."

Uneasy silence covered them once again. Maya double-checked her equipment again, making sure that she had everything for the combat. She knew that even though she excelled at light skirmishes, she was going to face a full-scale war, something she knew completely nothing about. But her friends were down there, and she wanted to offer any help she could provide, even as little as morale support.

"What can I do?" Lynn finally asked.

"What?"

"You heard me, Miss Maya. What can I do to help?"

"I thought Master Atrus had made his point clear."

"But I still feel guilty that our race doesn't offer any help!"

"We... or at least Master Atrus understands you." Maya replied bitterly. "You don't have to do anything if you don't want to."

"It's not that we don't want to!" Lynn insisted. "We can't!"

"Yes, you can!" Maya shot back. "But we've had this discussion before. Now if you really want to help, open a dimension door to Castle Stoke..."

"You don't understand, Miss Maya! We've been defeated!"

"Yes, you have!" Maya cried. "That's very true! You've been completely defeated! Never in my life have I seen souls so desperate before!"

While Maya was enraged, Lynn was completely silent. The Fairy cowered from her anger. She knew she had never been so angry before. She knew she was freaking out, and she knew anger was not the solution. She drew a deep breath and let her anger melt away.

"You know your problem?" Maya asked finally. "You've been defeated not only physically, but also mentally. The demons have extinguished not only the Holy Fire of Love, but also the fire of love inside your heart. Your heart has become numb, unable to feel other people's needs."

"Other people's needs...?" Lynn repeated slowly.

"I know my friends down there need me, so I must go. You know deep inside that we all need your help in the next battle, but you chose to ignore it. I can do nothing to convince you otherwise."

"But you've seen yourself!" Lynn desperately said. "The Holy Fire of Love is the sign from the Gods! Now the fire is gone, so we are powerless to love!"

"Wrong." Maya answered. "The demons may have extinguished the Holy Fire, but they can never extinguish the fire of love inside your heart. In fact, no one can do so." Maya stared at her sternly. "Only you yourself can."

"We... did it...?"

"Yes." Maya nodded. "You've chosen to ignore it, so you therefor just extinguished the fire of love in your heart. And if that's the case, yes, you've been defeated."

Uneasy silence covered them again. Maya seemed to have made her point, as the Fairy was deep in her thought. A slight flush of hope swept over her. Perhaps she could actually convince them.

"W...what can we do, then...?" The Fairy asked slowly.

"Listen to your heart." Maya said slowly. "That's what Master Atrus had said before, right? Now you know why he said that. He knew this all along."

Actually Maya just discovered that as well. Her master knew just what to say. Silently she admired his quick thinking greatly. In fact, he never ceased to impress her. The wisdom of the great Lord Guardian was indeed with him.

"I suppose we're taught to love other race as well..." Lynn said slowly. "Then I suppose we must help..."

"No, you mustn't." Maya said. "It's not what your heart tells you."

"I mustn't... But I really want to help..." Her eyes opened. "That's it! I want to help! I understand now! Love is not an obligation. It's a desire!"

Maya gave her the well-deserved smile. "Indeed."

"Thanks, Miss, Maya!" Lynn hugged the girl tightly, almost cutting air from her. "Now, excuse me, I need to have a word with my sisters!"

Prince Roberto stood uneasily on top of the fortification. Everything was ready, and his army stood firm around the castle courtyard, ready for the battle. The defense was quite simple. Archers would occupy the walls and towers. Once the first defense fell, foot soldiers would take over the wall defense while most soldiers would remain around the courtyard in case the main gate was breached. When the gate was breached and the walls fell, all hell would break loose.

He'd never been in a major battle before, but he could sense the blow to the soldiers' morale already. The odds were astronomical. He was trying to fight a horde of mindless undead with a small group of ill-trained army. All war tacticians for years to come will laugh at his decision.

"You're still freaking out?" Aurelia popped out from behind.

"I can't lie to you, can I?"

"We Elves are gifted with superior sense. We can sense nearly everything, including fear."

"Don't tell the soldiers." Roberto said.

"I won't, but they will notice it." The Elf said. "You must have faith in yourself!"

"I should..." He sighed. "Your report?"

"I've briefed the citizens. They're ready with a bucket of water and a cloth each to put out fire in case the enemy uses it. Food supplies are safe inside underground sheds and dungeon... talking about the castle dungeon, it wasn't a pretty sight..."

"This place held many bad memories, especially for Maya." Roberto said. "I'm sure glad she's quite safe in Heaven right no..."

Suddenly Maya popped out of nowhere, right in front of him. "Hi?!"

"Yikes!!"

The nearest archer could swear the prince jumped almost a half-meter high. His feet failing to obey the command to stand, he fell on his bottom, attracting sufficient attention from other soldiers.

"Wow..." Aurelia commented. "You've got to teach me that trick, girl..."

"How... how did you...?" Roberto said groggily.

"Lynn dropped me off here." Maya said merrily. "Happy to see me...?"

"Yes... I mean... NO!!"

"What...?!"

Aurelia circled her arms around Maya. "He is so happy he couldn't express it."

"I am...?!" Roberto imitated, but then noticed the Elf's hard stare. "Uh, right..."

"Anyway, Lynn promised to help us in the battle! I convinced her!" Maya declared.

"Way to go, girl!" Aurelia smiled.

"Finally, that's good news." Roberto said.

Suddenly the sound of the battle trumpet was heard. "They're coming!!" One soldier cried.

"That's bad news..."

As the dawn broke, the morning sky was colored with beautiful orange light. Yet beyond the horizon, a long line of small figures appeared from the forest. Their advance was slow and their movement was sluggish, yet it was enough to strike terror to the heart of their enemy.

"Our nemesis has arrived." Roberto said slowly. "Aurelia, get Hawk here. Maya, you stay here and don't wander around."

The Elf left. Roberto stood silently with Maya on his side, staring at the advancing army. The line seemed unending. Roberto had witnessed their strength. Now he had to witness their wrath.

The second prophecy of the Guardian, the Plague of the Undead, had been fulfilled.

"Archers!!" He commanded. "Aim!!"

Anna opened her eyes. Darkness welcomed her, as usual. Her nightmare wasn't over. But one thing was certain. She wasn't alone anymore.

"Very impressive, Miss Freesland..."

She quickly recognized the voice she dreaded. "Gareth Lightbringer... as always..."

"Incredible..." The Lich mused, his fiery red eyes flared beneath his long cloak. "You were sent into the abyss and come back alive."

"You underestimate me, Gareth. You can't just play around with me."

"You're weak, Human!" The Lich snarled. "I can play around with you anytime, for your soul is weak! Your soul is bound with the wheel of time! I," He stretched out his hand, "am immortal! I have the blood of the Gods inside of me!"

"But you've had your chance, Gareth." Anna replied. "You've tried to defeat me, and you failed."

"So what?! Look at you! Your soul may be strong, but you're bound and helpless!"

He was right. She'd been occupied with him that she didn't realize she was still bound spread-eagled in the air by invisible shackles. The shackles were definitely designed to immobilize her completely, for she couldn't move her limbs at all. Her will was strong, but her body could move.

"So can you still defeat me?" The Lich sneered. "Don't worry, we have forever to get to know each other better. Plus, I can assure you that there will be no distraction at all. Anyway, who can save you right now anyway?"

"Atrus will come!" Anna shot back.

"Oh, that hopeless hunk!" Gareth chuckled. "Then why isn't he here right now?"

"Why, I'm here, demon!"

The Lich quickly turned back and found Atrus standing behind him. "You...?! Why? How?"

"Miss me already, demon?" Atrus smirked.

"How could you...? It's impossible! You can't find us here!"

Atrus pointed at the hanging figure before him. "She guided me here."

"What?" Gareth turned to Anna. "How?!"

"Atrus..." Anna choked. "I don't know... but I'm so happy to see you again..."

Atrus swept his hand, and the invisible shackles instantly let her go. She fell on her feet and ran toward him. How she missed his warm embrace. She hugged her tightly as if she didn't want to let him go. Her tears fell like rain.

"Anna... This guy didn't hurt you, did he?" Atrus soothed her.

"I don't care..." She sobbed. "I'm just so glad to see you... You've come for me..."

"I don't think so..." Gareth sneered. "Old Calem sent you here, right? You didn't come for her. You came to get me."

"What?" Anna looked at him, confused. "Atrus...?"

"Don't listen to him." Atrus let her go and drew his sword. "I've come for you, but I still have an unfinished business."

"You can't kill me, Ranger!" Gareth warned. "It will compromise your task."

"Like I care." Atrus replied darkly. "I will make you pay for what you've done to her!!"

"But you're weak! You can't defeat me! My loyal specters, attack him!!"

Numerous ghouls appeared from nowhere and descended toward Atrus. Anna recalled those ghouls in the pyramid as being capable to inflict terrible pain. But Atrus calmly raised his hand and called out his inner power. His body was soon engulfed in bright flame.

"Your trick didn't work, Ranger, and will not work this time!" The Lich cried.

Multiple ghouls went through Atrus' body, but instead of struggling from pain, Atrus stood firm. More ghouls invaded him, yet he was unaffected. His gaze was hard, fixed on his nemesis.

"How...?" The Lich was furious. "My specters...!"

"It's because of your little game." Atrus replied. "I've defeated your trial, and I came out stronger. You can't play around with my soul anymore."

"It can't be! I'm superior!"

"We'll see about that!"

Atrus drew his sword and dashed toward the furious Lich. The faithful Rainbow Sword flared as its magical power flowed through the enchanted metal. A large blue sphere covered him as Anna chanted her magic barrier on him. A similar transparent, dark sphere appeared around the Lich, but that didn't stop him nor slow him down.

"Spirit Lash!!"

The sword made a diving cut, splitting the dark sphere in half and nearly cutting the occupant. The impact produced a massive shock, propelling the Lich backwards. The specters around him descended to assist their master, but this time Atrus dealt with them. His sword danced around, cutting through the ghouls and shredding the foul spirits into nothingness. The Lich released a barrage of magical force toward Atrus, but it exploded harmlessly on the barrier. Atrus raised his arm and formed a fireball on his palm. The fireball shot out toward the Lich and exploded harmlessly a few inches before him. The blast, however, was enough to throw the Lich a few feet behind. Atrus met up with him and raised his flaming sword, ready to strike.

"Atrus, stop!!"

The sword hung in the air, waiting to strike the helpless victim.

"Atrus... you've made your point..." Anna explained. "Please, let me talk to him."

Atrus stared at his nemesis for a while, then lowered his sword. "You owe her too much."

"Gareth, it's all over." Anna said. "Give it up."

"I... I've been defeated..." The Lich didn't seem to be listening.

"Gareth?"

"I've been defeated by mortals!!" The Lich growled. "How can this be happening!!"

"What do you mean?" Anna asked.

"I'm immortal! I have a lifetime to perfect my spiritual magic!!"

Anna's brows cornered. "Who told you that?"

"Who else?! That bastard Daemon!"

"Who?" Atrus inquired.

"Supreme Commander Daemon, Lord of the Army of Darkness. He's the one who transformed me into a Lich."

"Why?" Anna asked. "Why did you sacrifice your soul and become an undead?"

"You don't know how it feels..." Gareth answered darkly. "You don't know how it feels, being trapped inside a city filled with beasts, expecting help that will never arrive!"

"You mean your fellow wizards?"

"I served their cause for many years, but they betrayed me!" The Lich growled. "They abandoned me, and I blame them for making me endure such torture! I want my revenge, and if it takes a lifetime to perfect my magic, then I will do it!"

"Daemon tricked you, Gareth..." Anna said sadly. "You will never perfect your skill..."

"What?! I'm immortal! My soul is stronger that yours!"

"Wrong again." Anna said. "When you submit yourself to become a Lich, your soul was animated with magic, and can therefor only last as long as the magic is there. No, your soul is sustained with magic and no magic last forever. Mortal souls, on the other hand, last forever. Only the bodies don't."

Gareth was confused, "Mortal souls last forever?!"

"Our bodies may wither when we die, but our souls will never cease the existence. They will either go to Paradise or Hades. But your soul was magically animated, and when the magic ceased to work... I'm afraid... you have nowhere to go..."

Gareth stared blankly into the darkness. "If what you said is true, then I've been tricked indeed..." His bony hands folded into knuckles. "That bastard has tricked me... But that doesn't reduce the pain I've felt for years!"
"Have you heard anything about the Great War of the Magi?" Anna asked.

"What?"

"It was a war between the wizards and the allied forces of Humans and Elves." Atrus explained. " The war raged for years, killing more lives than any wars in the known history."

"A war...? The temple...?"

"The Great Temple of Magi was burned down a few years ago..." Anna replied sadly. "The wizards are now the outcast people living in the northern peninsula of the continent."

"It's a lie!" The Lich was furious. "What proof do you have?!"

"The Book of Elements..." Anna said. "I have it now... We found it from the body of a renegade mage east of Aragon, hiding in the Mystic Mountain."

"The Book of Elements..." The Lich imitated. "Then you know that spell..."

"Yes..." Anna replied. "I know the spell to undo your magic."

"Then use it on me!" Gareth declared.

"I can't..." Anna hung her head. "I... I don't want to kill you..."

"After what I've done to you?!"

"After what you've done to me." Anna nodded. "I still won't kill you."

"You are too kind, yet foolish..." Gareth stared at them for a while. "Very well, you have my attention. Now speak."

Hawk watched silently as the Elf released another barrage of arrows, killing another wave of zombies. He couldn't help but admire her skill, but even with her superior talent they were still in danger. The wave of zombies kept on flowing from the nearby forest, crawling slowly toward the castle. He raised his own bow and released the arrow. Missed. I should have listened more carefully in the archery lecture...

He stole a glance to his friends. Prince Roberto stood uneasily next to him, watching in horror as the seemingly unending horde of undead approached the castle. He understood the pressure the young prince was feeling. He was holding the lives of the entire population in Aragon. If they lost the battle, Aragon was lost.

Holgreb, on the other hand, was as eager as usual. He was known not to care about odds. He could march himself toward a group of monster and deal with them single-handedly. But now they're not facing a group, but a horde. For that reason, he'd ordered the Dwarf to stay inside the castle. He believed that a living Dwarf was more useful than a dead Dwarf.

A young soldier ran toward them. "Prince Roberto, we spotted another army coming from the east! They're coming right toward our eastern wall!"

We're doomed. "Send more soldiers to defend that wall..." Hawk barked the order.

"Wait!" Holgreb stopped the squire. "You said they're coming from the east?"

"Yes, sir!"

"I'm coming with you!"

The Dwarf left. Aurelia shot another set of arrows, dropping more zombies to the ground. Hawk fired his own shortly. Missed. Damn...

Soon he saw Holgreb running toward them. "Cancel the order!!" He screamed. "The reinforcements from King Hloffeth are here!"

He could hear a long sigh of relief from the prince. He deserved it. The prince had been in constant stress for a while.

"Dragons coming from the western horizon!" Another scout yelled.

"Archers, shoot anything that moves!" Hawk shouted.

"Wait a minute!" Aurelia spoke up. "That might be the Elves! I lent them Agar's dragons!"

"When we find out who they are, the entire castle could have been in flame!"

"Well, I don't want to see my brothers and sisters killed by friendly fire!"

Whoosh!! A green dragon swept low over them. Sitting on it was a figure Hawk recalled well. He was Farn, Aurelia's not-too-friendly brother. He remembered how that particular Elf had caused problem for the party in Elom.

"You fight the war yourselves?!" Farn cried from the dragon. "I thought we're allies!!"

"You're definitely welcomed to join the fun!" Hawk cried back.

A horde of dragons flew past them and hovered in the air as their Elven occupants began firing volleys of arrows toward the advancing zombies. A large group of Dwarven warriors appeared from the east and charged at the undead ranks.

"Hawk, take a detachment of swordsmen and pikemen. Assist them, but keep the gate open wide. I don't want to lose you there." Roberto ordered. "Aurelia, Holgreb, you're free to join the fight."

"Got it!" They replied.

As the rest of the party joined the battle, Roberto stood silently on top of the fortification. Before him, three races of the realm fought together, side by side. "We're saved... for now..."

"What?!" Anna was surprised.

"Old Calem want to enlist my help?" Gareth asked, then stared into Atrus' eyes. "You know the consequences, right?" He asked slowly.

"Yes." Atrus replied.

"There will be no turning back..."

"Please, Gareth, I know!" Atrus said quickly.

"Atrus, what is this all about?" Anna asked him.

"Anna, I..." He was in total lost of words. "I... I can't..."

"You can't... what?"

"I... I can't say it..."

Tears were formed in her eyes. "Atrus... is there something you're hiding from me...?"

Atrus couldn't look at her in the eye. The hurt in his heart was too severe. He had found her, and he had to let her go again. The time had come. He had fulfilled his task. Now Anna and the Lich would escape the Void, and he had to stay in there, probably forever.

"Atrus, you're hiding something from me..." Anna sobbed. "Why can't you tell me?"

"Because... I can't..." he said slowly, "I... I can't..."

"Atrus, you know I praise you so much... Please tell me..."

"I can't, Anna..." He brushed the tears on her cheeks. "I'm tired of hurting your feeling..."

"I've been hurt all my life..." she insisted, "I will endure it..."

"You've endured something you don't deserve..." he kissed her softly. "I don't want to hurt you anymore..."

Both of them were lost in each other's embrace. He couldn't say it. He couldn't see her face when they had to part once again. Such sight would haunt him forever. Such memory would be an undesirable parting gift for his lifetime stay in his new home. Indeed, it's a love that will never come true... It's not my destiny to be with her...

"Enough of this do-gooders' attitude!" The Lich snarled. "I'm sending you both back!"

"What..?" Atrus quickly said. "You can't... The alliance must be forged!"

"And it will be forged." The Lich said. "You've opened my eyes. I've seen what I've done. You've indeed saved me from my darkest world." He bowed his head. "I have you all to thank for."

"But you must come with us!"

"That's not what Calem said." Gareth smiled. "That smart old man, he wants you to convince me to use the two remaining gates to send you back, therefor trapping me here with the only exit gate in his hand. A very effective, yet well deserved prison for me.

"What are you talking about?" Anna asked.

Gareth ignored her. "You've done your task here, Ranger. I'm a servant of the Dark, yet you've shown me the true Light. However, the curse remains forever, and there's nothing you can do to save me. Now you're more useful elsewhere but here. Void is not a place for the Prophet of the Guardian."

"Gareth... I'm sorry." Atrus said slowly.

"One more thing, Ranger. If you see Daemon, send him my warmest greeting." He grinned.

"My pleasure."

Two swirling holes appeared behind them. "Now begone from my sight!!"

A powerful magical force pushed them toward the holes, which engulfed them quickly before they could protest. Once the hole disappeared, the air was silent and lifeless, and his fate was sealed.

"And good luck..."

Even with three races fighting together, the resistance was slowly pushed back. The zombies were far too numerous. Most of the Elves had long run out of arrows and were fighting less effectively with their lances and spears. The Dwarves and Humans fought well, but not enough to push back the undead. The battle had created a large pile of rotten bodies along the battlefield, yet the undead kept on coming. As strong as they were, they're mortals, and mortals couldn't fight forever.

"Archers, retreat!!" Roberto barked the order. "All swordsmen, man your posts! Prepare to defend the wall!!"

Just as planned, the allied army retreated in order. He could see the three heroes, Hawk, Holgreb, and Farn protected the army in their retreated. The dragon-riding Elves fought to cover their retreat. Once all foot soldiers retreated, the gate was raised, sealing the castle, for now.

The moat did little help to slow the zombies down. Th critters simply piled their dead comrades in the trench and quickly formed a bridge. Undead creatures normally didn't have the sense of teamwork. There could be one explanation. Somewhere out there, someone's controlling them...

Hawk joined him with his long spear, ready to defend the walls. Holgreb followed him shortly, wielding his trusty axe.

"Farn was wounded, so Aurelia is helping him." He reported.

"A fine warrior he is." Roberto nodded, then drew his gigantic sword. "Ready for the party?"

"Never been better!" Maya shouted from behind.

"What?!"

"Maya, I told you to stay in the shed!" Roberto said.

"And let you have all the fun?" She drew her combat blade. "I'm in!"

"It's too dangerous!!"

"Yeah... yeah... You sound just like Master Atrus when he gets annoying. Well, Atrus can't stop me before, so I doubt you can do anything about it."

"You're such a stubborn girl!!" The prince shouted.

"I know you care for me..." She gave him a playful smile. "But it doesn't work on me."

"Roberto, they're coming!" Hawk cried.

The prince peeked over the wall when a clawed hand missed him by an inch. Reflexively he slammed his fist on the rotten face, crushing the skull and sent the zombie along with his friends down.

"Yeah..." the prince wiped the slime off with his pants. "They're coming all right..."

Another critter popped out, but Holgreb's axe welcomed him and sliced neatly in half. Another tried his luck, but Hawk's spear met him halfway through the wall and sent him down in two pieces. Battle raged throughout the southern wall. Heroes and swordsmen fought side by side, keeping the critters from breaching the wall. At the base, zombies tried to scratch their way through the metal-reinforced wooden gate. Soldiers and citizens fought together to keep the gate as long as possible. Pikemen thrust their pikes through the holes on the gate, trying to ward the critters behind it. As strong as it was, it was still an emergency gate, made at the last minute. It could collapse anytime.

Then when the situation seemed hopeless, the sky was opened and hundreds of flying figures filled the sky. "The Fairies!!" Maya cried. "They're here! They're here!"

The legion of Heaven sang their beautiful chorus in the sky. The melody filled the air, strengthening allied soldiers and cured minor injuries they'd had. Soon the morale was shifted once again as the Fairies brought the allied army from the edge of defeat to their top spirit once again.

A Fairy landed on the fortification. "I've fulfilled my promise, Miss Maya." She bowed.

"Glad to have you here, Lynn!" Maya sliced the nearest zombie with her renewed strength and hacked him back using the blade handle. "I'm sure Master Atrus would be glad to see you."

Lynn propelled a zombie away with her magical force. "Where is he?"

"He's busy!" Roberto spoke up and made a short salute. "I extend gratitude for helping us in the battle for our race."

"The honor is ours!" Lynn nodded. "But the Prophet hasn't returned yet?"

"We're quite worried about him, too." Roberto said as he split a zombie in half. "I sure hope those wizards didn't fry him to crisp."

"How rude! Such manner is not in our list!"

Roberto turned around and found five people, two Elves and three Humans, all with long beard and wearing funny pointy hats. He'd never seen wizards before, either, but for some reason he knew he shouldn't laugh.

"Huh...?"

"Well, you need our help or not, Human?!"

"You're the wizards!!" Maya cried. "Then Master Atrus...?"

"I'm here, Maya." Atrus was standing on the other side of the plank, smiling at them. "And I want you all to meet my loyal aide, Adriana Freesland."

"Mistress!!" Maya ran toward her mistress and hugged her tightly. "You're okay...!"

"I have a long story to tell, Maya." Anna smiled. "We'll talk about this later."

"So, Atrus, the wizards have agreed to help us?" Roberto asked.

"Yes. They're on our side."

Roberto quickly knelt before the wizards. "I thank you for your assistance and apologize for my country's mistake in the past."

"Don't thank us yet, son!" Calem chuckled. "We haven't showed you what we are capable of doing. Boys, let's rumble!!"

Another dozen wizards appeared at the castle courtyard. They raised their staves, which quickly flared in bright light, and chanted their spells. The sky was opened once again, and from there hundreds of flaming rocks fell into the ground. The rocks hit the ground and created huge explosion with every impact, scattering, crushing and burning the undead beneath. The spell created a mass destruction to the battlefield ahead, but at least the attack to the walls was halted temporarily.

"Anna, do you know what to do?" Atrus asked.

She pointed at one cloaked figure among the undead horde. "He's the necromancer. You must defeat him and get me in the center of their ranks. Only then I can use the spell to end the plague."

"Very well. Roberto, can I borrow some of your men?" Atrus asked.

"We're all yours to command, Prophet of the Guardian." Roberto replied.

"Okay, you, Hawk and Holgreb are coming with me. We need to get Anna to the center of the horde."

"Count me in!" Aurelia popped out, followed by her brother.

"Fine. Can you guard the castle?" Atrus asked Farn.

"With my life." The Elf bowed.

"Maya, I need my mace and the Book of Elements." Anna said.

"Right away, Mistress." She searched her backpack. "Can I go too, Master?"

"No, you stay here with Calem. Tell the citizens to take cover. When the spell was working, everybody must stay on the ground. Do you understand?!"

"Everybody must stay on the ground." Farn and Maya chorused.

"I need your help, Calem."

"You're on, Prophet." The old wizard smiled.

"Be careful, everybody..." Maya said. "You too, Prince Roberto..."

"Don't worry, Maya." The prince brushed her hair. "We're going to win."

"Let's go, people!" Atrus ordered. "Let's send those undead to where they belong!"

"Behold, the Demon Slayer!!" Roberto cried.

The allied soldiers cheered up as they saw the greatest hero of the land leading them to battle. Atrus nodded at Calem, who was still standing on the defense planks. "We're all set!"

"Come on, boys!"

The wizards summoned another round of flaming rocks from the sky, clearing the battlefield. Lynn and her sisters chorused their blessings to the heroes as they prepared their assault.

The gate was dropped, and six heroes dashed toward the battlefield. Behind them, the allied forces of Human swordsmen, Dwarven warriors, and Elven archers followed them. The heroes charged the enemy and drilled their way through the horde.

"Remember, people!" Atrus sliced through the zombies with his sword. "Protect Anna at all cost!"

"Hey, I'm not that helpless anyway!" Anna cried while whacking a zombie with her mace.

Atrus and Roberto sliced through the zombies with Anna and Aurelia following behind them while Hawk and Holgreb protected their flanks. The allied forces charged through the broken enemy ranks, keeping the hole open for the party. The Dwarves and Humans fought in the front line while the Elves provided arrow support. The group went through the horde, trying desperately to reach the hooded figure among the zombies.

Soon Anna could see their intended target. "He's dead ahead, Atrus!"

"Cover me, people!"

Aurelia knelt down, raised her bow and fired six arrows at the same time, clearing the way. Atrus quickly spotted his nemesis, a demon with green skin, wearing dark leather robe and long hood. The necromancer saw him quickly and nodded at his challenge.

"Embrace your death, puppet of the Guardian!!" he hissed.

The necromancer met him with his long staff. The staff was quite plain, except for the crystal skull on top of it. But the staff was surely magical and a fine match for Rainbow Sword. The demon was very proficient with the weapon. Atrus was basically faster, but staff had two sides, so the demon could attack with one side and deflect with the other.

"You're hopeless!!" The demon hissed. "Your pathetic race will fall before us!!"

"Nice dream, demon!" Atrus replied. "Tell me that again when you're retired!"

The duel continued as the two warriors battled against each other. Around them the other battle raged as the party tried to keep the zombies out of the duel. The zombies had closed the gap, trapping them inside. Fighting their way out would be suicidal, so the only choice they had was to succeed.

"You can't defeat me!!" The necromancer said. "We're even. This fight will go forever!"

"Wait until you try my newest trick! Spirit Last!!"

Atrus dashed toward the demon. His sword flared brightly as he swung it down at his victim. The demon quickly parried the blow, but Rainbow Sword magically went through the staff and dove all the way through his body. The fatal blow severed the link between the flesh and the spirit, weakening the life and paralyzing the victim. The demon staggered and dropped the staff.

"Sword Dancer!!"

Just like its name, Atrus began dancing around the paralyzed victim, sending blow after blow to the dazed demon. The necromancer growled in pain and soon collapsed to the ground, unmoved. Atrus sighed. Under normal circumstances, as a full-trained Ranger and a Royal Knight, killing a helpless enemy would be a dishonorable action, but there were exceptions. Honor was not what he pursued. The demon had killed thousands of innocents, and would continue to do so if nobody stopped him.

"Anna!!" Atrus yelled.

"About time!!" The priestess growled as she joined him. "This will take a while. Cover me."

The allied army had fought well, forming a ring around them. They had even built their own mini fortress out of the rotten bodies of dead zombies. The critters tried desperately to push through the walls of their dead comrades, only to be stabbed or cut by the soldiers behind the walls. Some who escaped the wall fell in Atrus' hands...

Until he met his nightmare.

"S...Sylvia...?!"

The female before him was badly disfigured, but he still remembered her well. Her clothes were badly torn, revealing her lithe, yet ruined body. Her face was almost perfect, except for the blank stare she was giving him.

"Sylvia? Are... are you okay...? Don't you remember me? I'm Atrus White Lion! We met in Labrador before!"

To his dismay, the girl attacked him, which he evaded easily.

"Atrus, it's not her!" Anna shouted.

"No! I know it's her!" Atrus shot back. "Sylvia, please remember me! I'm Atrus!"

The zombie ignored his plea and attacked again, this time making a long cut on his chest. The pain was nothing, but the pain inside was more than he could bear.

"Atrus, she's no longer Sylvia! She's one of the undead! You must end her misery!"

Atrus raised his sword, but his body refused to move. He still could picture the old Sylvia he had known. He could still remember the good times they'd been through together. No matter how useless those memory were now, he still couldn't hurt his friend, let alone kill her. He just stared silently as the zombie attacked, ready to jam its claws inside his skull.

He gasped as the bright flame incinerated the zombie before him. Its mournful cry shattered his soul. When he opened his eyes, only a pile of ashes was left. Anna softly massaged his shoulder.

"Atrus... I'm sorry... But she's no longer the fine maid we know..." she said sadly. "The plague has taken her away from us, and she's no longer herself. Imagine how bad her soul would feel if her body had killed you..."
"I... can't... hurt... my friends..." Atrus repeated slowly.

"I know." She squeezed his shoulder firmly. "What we can do is avenge the bastard who forced her to endure such curse. Come."

They returned to the center of the circle made by the party. The allied army was holding well, but they couldn't fight forever as fatigue overcame them. Anna picked the Book of Elements and turned into the right page.

"This is it." Anna said. "Hopefully it'll work."

"You can do it, Anna..." Atrus said.

"I haven't done a spell this strong before... I don't know if I can do it..."

"I'm here, Anna." Atrus assured her. "We'll go through this together."

She held the Book of Elements on one hand and lifted another hand toward the sky. Slowly she began chanting the spell from the book. Atrus whacked another group of zombies trying to interfere with the process.

"Aurelia!! The symbol!!"

The Elf took a previously prepared sulfur-smeared arrow and set it on fire. Then she shot the arrow up toward the sky. Back in the castle, Maya quickly saw the firebolt and recognized the symbol.

"Everybody, lie down!!" She cried. "Lie down, NOW!!"

All soldiers and citizens fell to the ground, ready for the outcome. In the battlefield, at Roberto's order, everybody also dropped to the ground. Only Atrus, Anna, and the zombies remained standing on the battlefield.

"Heavens and Earth, hear my prayer!" Anna cried. "I call forth thine power, undo the curse the land has suffer!"

Dark cloud appeared from nowhere and gathered over them. The clouds whirled madly over the sky, blown by invisible wind. Slowly it turned angry red as if the air was boiling. The wind twisted the cloud faster, making a large red whirlpool in the sky.

"Atrus, hit the dirt, NOW!!" Anna barked.

Suddenly the edge of the whirlpool slammed into the ground and began twisting around near where Anna was standing, creating a huge reddish tornado. The air around them turned incredibly hot as the steaming wind swept through them. Smaller specks of fire flew through the current, threatening those anything unlucky enough to be on their path.

And those would be the zombies. The tornado raged stronger, spitting fire and extremely hot air toward the undead ranks. The fire burned through the rotten flesh and the hot vapor melted whatever was left from them. The violent storm of fire raged, spreading mass destruction to the nearby land, slamming fire, burning rocks and shrapnel to the castle walls, rocking the structure and frightening the occupants, yet the purpose was clear. The firestorm decimated the undead army mercilessly as the ultimate wrath of the Gods came upon them, wreaking havoc the undead animation spell from the victims.

Anna staggered on her feet, struggling to stand firmly. While the fire wouldn't hurt her, the intense heat became unbearable and slowly weakened her. Her eyelids stayed close since her eyes couldn't withstand such heat. Her lungs were burning from total lack of oxygen. The powerful wind tossed her body from one side to another. She struggled hard to stay put, but she knew she was losing.

"I... can't... hold... it...!"

Then she felt a big figure pressing on her. A strong hand held her small waist close to him and another one supported her other hand, keeping it stretching up toward the angry sky.

"Atrus... hit... the... dirt...!!" She gasped.

"I've... lost you... once... I'm not... losing you... again...!!"

She completely let go her body, concentrating on the spell and the intense pain. Atrus held her tightly, refusing to give her up to the raging tornado before them. Unlike Anna, he was not the caster and therefor vulnerable to the fire, but he refused to give up to the pain. The flame around his body did little to soften the attack, but he didn't care. I'm with the girl of my life, and I will protect her to the death...

They lost track of time. The storm raged for a while, then just suddenly subsided. The tornado was lifted off and the sky returned to normal. Both Atrus and Anna staggered, but their feet refused to support their weight and they collapsed to the ground from exhaustion.

Hawk rose up first and yelped to find a skeleton staring at him. The zombies had been reduced into piles of bones scattered around the battlefield. The particular skull before him was smaller than normal Human skull, probably shrunk by the intense heat from the storm.

"It worked...!" He finally spoke up. "The spell worked! The zombies are defeated!!"

Holgreb curiously tugged the nearest skeleton with his axe, just to make sure. "Yep, they're dead all right!"

Soon the allied forces were back on their feet, silently staring at the horrible view of the battlefield, as if there had been a huge massacre here. But they were all cautiously pleased with the outcome. Their excitement exploded immediately after they heard a similar cheer coming from Castle Stoke. They'd never thought they would win this battle, but they just walked out victoriously, and alive.

"I'm happy things are working quite well." Roberto commented.

"Indeed." Aurelia nodded. "And we pulled this trick together."

"This event will definitely be remembered in our history for the years to come!" Hawk declared. "For the first time, five races worked together to defeat a common enemy!"

"Sounds good to me." Holgreb chuckled. "And I will get my own estate..."

"Let's greet our heroes!" Aurelia turned around. "Adriana Freesland, I have to congrat..."

The party was stunned to see Anna crawling over Atrus' body. "Atrus...! Atrus, answer me!"

The party quickly gathered around. Atrus was unconscious. His leather armor was totally ruined. His sword lay on his side, still hot and glowing bright red from contact with the firestorm. He had burn marks almost at every part of his body, except for his chest where he had held Anna close to him.

Anna was panicking, since her power was completely drained from the spell. "Atrus, hang on... We'll get help soon... Just... just don't you die on me..."

His eyes opened a little and looked at her weakly. Then he gave her a small, weak smile, then closed his eyes again.

"Atrus...! Atrus...!" The voice echoed in his head. "Atrus...!"

His head hurt. That was all he could think of. All the nerve endings around his body demanded the same attention for the same sensation, but he was too dizzy to give them any. It was dark around, and his first instinct when he was in darkness was to find some light. He slowly opened his eyes.

"Master!!" Somebody barked on his face.

Under normal circumstances, with his condition he wouldn't be able to comprehend the calling, but it was one voice he would never forget. Plus, the voice's owner gladly assisted him to clear his clouded mind.

"Stop slapping me, Maya!" Atrus protested. "I'm awake! I'm awake!"

"Get here, guys, he's awake!"

Atrus soon found himself lying on a double bed. There were bandages at almost every part of his body. Some of them still hurt, but most of them he could bear. Around the bed were his friends, except for Roberto, Holgreb and Anna.

"How do you feel, buddy?" Hawk asked.

"Bad."

"He's okay." Aurelia nodded to everybody. "He's saying the truth."

"What happened?"

"You just pulled out another fine trick back there." Hawk said. "You held Anna's body steady during the spell, thus endangering yourself. You got plenty of burn wounds around your body. The girls spent four hours just to clean your body and bandage all your wounds."

"How's Anna?"

"You never care of yourself, do you, Master?" Maya said.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"You won't like it." Hawk replied. "You've been unconscious for at least two days, and she's been staying next to you for more than forty hours in total." He chuckled. "We had to drug her coffee to drag her out and put her to sleep."

"She did that?" Atrus was surprised.

"She claimed her magic would work better if she apply it continuously." Aurelia offered him a glass of water. "Just like you, she's a very bad liar."

"I'm really sorry. I've been a trouble for you all."

"Yes, you have, Master." Maya smiled playfully. "But you've caused greater trouble before. We're getting used to it."

"Thanks, guys..." Atrus nodded. "I still need to thank Anna..."

Roberto and Holgreb popped out from the door. "Ah, Atrus, you're okay! It's good to see you alive" Roberto said.

"Same to you, Prince." Atrus replied. "What's up?"

"A simple scroll from my dad..." He lifted a paper scroll from his bag, and everybody in the room excluding Atrus fell on their knees. "Hmm... I'm still amazed at what a paper scroll can do..."

"It's a king's order!" Hawk said, annoyed. "Now spit it out!"

Had Hawk not been one of them, he would have been highly qualified for the gallows, but Roberto chuckled and opened the scroll. "Sir Atrus White Lion, Ranger and Royal Knight of Aragon, your mission in forging the alliance is a success. The king... my dad, has noticed your incredible dedication..."

"And injuries..." Aurelia added.

"And decided to grant you the entire southern part of Aragon."

"What?!!"

"You heard the old man!" Roberto grinned. "You're no longer Sir Atrus. You're Baron Atrus, the ruler of Southern Aragon, and this castle will be your headquarters."

"Way to go, boy!" Holgreb planted a punch on his ribs, not enough to hurt him but enough to make him scream. "You're now ruling a country!"

"Despite the fact that most of your territory consists of burnt forest, impassable mountains, and dry wasteland." Hawk sneered.

"On the contrary," Roberto said, "My dad believes that under your leadership the southern Aragon will recover from its ordeal. You're very well known here anyway. It's good for people's morale."

"But I'm a fighter!" Atrus protested. "I know nothing about leading a country!"

"Uh, excuse me..." Anna's petite form appeared by the door. "I'm sorry, I just overheard the conversation... I just want to say... if you need help in managing a government, I can offer my assistance."

Atrus looked at her for a while. She was almost unhurt from the last battle, but he could know from her eyes that she hadn't had enough sleep in the last two days. He felt really guilty for troubling her, as always.

"Anna..." was all he could say, before uneasy silence covered them.

"Hey, guys!!" Maya suddenly spoke up. "I heard the... uh... dragons! The dragons are having a... a race!" That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, Atrus thought. "That's right! A great dragon race! We should watch it, right?"

"Right!" Hawk agreed.

"Sure!" Aurelia nodded.

"A brilliant idea!" Holgreb declared.

The party quickly rushed out of the room with Maya dragging Prince Roberto along, who was still trying to figure out what was happening. The noise disappeared in the distance, leaving Atrus and Anna in a complete silence.

"Anna..." Atrus said again.

She sat on a chair beside his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, thanks for your care." He hesitated. "Anna... about the thing in the Void..."

"I've talked to Calem." She cut him off. "I... I know everything."

"You do..."

"And I can say that would have been the stupidest thing you could have done!" She scolded. "You wanted to spend the rest of your life in the Void?!"

"Talking about stupid things, how about your decision to trade Maya's life with yours while I was determined to defeat the Lich at that very moment?! You think that's smart?!"

"Well, at least you could have been honest to me, like I've been to you!"

"Like what?!" Atrus shot back. "You wanted me to tell you that I was going to have to part with you, perhaps forever?!"

Silence covered them again, although the messages were sent.

"I'm sorry..." Anna said. "I suppose we all do something stupid in our life..."

"It's different." He replied. "It' not something you do to everybody everyday."

"I suppose you're right..."

Atrus took her hands and cupped them with his. "Anna... I've been wanting to tell you this."

"Yes...?"

"Anna... I know I've known you for a long time, but... I... I was so blind and... uh... and... Damn, I'm not good at this..."

"No, Atrus..." She gave him an encouraging smile. "Please do go on."

"I... I just want to tell you... I didn't see it coming... I mean... I... I can't... I mean... I couldn't... see it... and... uh..." Why didn't they teach this skill in Ranger training camp?!

"Atrus... don't make up words..." Anna smiled. "I want to hear it from your heart."

"Anna..." He drew a long breath. "When you gave yourself for us in the pyramid, you... you opened my eyes... I... I never knew that you... loved me that much..." He drew another breath. "I really felt guilty about it, and then I realized that I really missed you... You... you made me want to do the same for you... and for all of us... That explains my decision in the Void..."

He paused and found her in tears. Just finding her crying hurt his heart, so he made it quick.

"Anna, I just want to tell you this... I... I love you, Adriana Freesland... Please be mine..."

Tears sprung from her eyes as she cried beside his bed. For a while he didn't know whether he had said the right thing or not. He just stayed there, squeezing her hands in his palms.

"Why...?" She finally asked.

"What?"

"Why, Atrus...?" She sobbed. "Why do you have to... make me wait... so long... just to hear those words from you...?"

"I'm sorry, Anna..." He said. "Is that a no...?"

"Of course not, silly!" She said quickly. "I love you too, Atrus White Lion... I promise I will stay loyal to you forever...!"

She crashed into his arms and hugged him tightly, completely forgetting that he was in pain, but he didn't resist. Instead he wrapped his arms around her, trying his best to comfort her with every bit of self-control he had.

"Oh, no!" She quickly realized what she was doing. "Am I hurting you, honey?"

Atrus' gut twitched when he heard her calling him honey. "No, dear." He said. "Not much."

She chanted her healing spell, and the pain was eased. "Feeling better?"

Atrus pulled her closer and kissed her warm lips. "Much better."

She blushed, then planted a deep kiss on his lips. She realized how much she missed him. She realized how much she missed his gentle touch. Her hands trailed along his chest, feeling the tense muscles and began to massage them. He groaned in relief as she expertly worked with his muscles, relaxing them. He reached out to stroke her hair, but a sharp pain from behind his shoulder stopped him.

"Don't worry, Atrus..." She smiled warmly. "Just relax. I'll do the rest."

She climbed the bed and lay beside him. She kissed him passionately while letting her hand wander around his pants. She could feel the bulge on his pants and giggled as it twitched to her touch. Softly she ran her hand along his shaft, stroking it to hardness. Again he grunted, this time in discomfort. She gladly lowered his pants, freeing his member from confinement.

"Sit back and enjoy. I'll make you feel a lot better..."

She shifted her attention to his member and stroked it dutifully. Without warning, she licked the head, making it twitch and Atrus groan.

"Anna...? You... uh... don't have to do it...?"

She smiled at him warmly. "I want to, honey. I want to please you." Her smile turned into an evil grin. "Besides, you've been toying with mine so far. I want revenge. Fair, fair..."

Despite his protest, she inserted his entire length inside her mouth and sucked lightly. In spite of her inexperience in the matter, she did her best to perform her task. The effect came quickly as his cock grew to prime size and hardness, well coated with her saliva.

Then she climbed over him and sat on his pelvis. She was ready to undo her belt when Atrus' hand wandered under her skirt and panties and found her pussy, which was well within his reach. She gasped, but didn't resist as he explored her nether region, which was already moist with her juice. Unlike her, he quickly found the jackpot and toyed with her clitoris. She arched her back and her leg muscles tensed as the wonderful sensation hit her.

"You just know how to do it, don't you?" she asked.

"No offense, Anna dear," he grinned. "Practice makes perfect."

"Then we should make this a routine practice..."

She slid her panties aside and slowly impaled herself on his cock. She gasped as his member filled her vagina, stimulating her sensitive flesh. He reached out and pulled her close to his chest, thus making her lose balance and impaling herself all the way down. She shrieked, but was silenced as he kissed her lips, silencing any protest.

"Can't really wait, can you, honey?" she asked.

"You're wasting too much time."

He stroked her hair softly, making her purr. His hands found her pert breasts and fingered her nipples, sending sparks of pleasure through her brain. Meanwhile, she began humping up and down on his member. Her muscles hugged his cock tightly as if refusing to let go. And for the first time, she realized, her body and mind worked hand in hand. She would definitely never want to part from him again.

"I love you, Atrus..." she said.

"You're so beautiful, Anna..." He softly wiped the tears from her cheek. "I love you too."

As she gained some speed, her moan was getting louder. She could just hope that the refugees downstairs wouldn't be able to hear them. Atrus was, despite his pain, in heaven. He was making love to the girl he loved most. He was determined not to ever leave her again. His hand found her clitoris again, stroked it gently, and was pleased to find her moaning in pleasure. Atrus, despite his wounds, began lifting his hips in every thrust, jamming his member deep inside her, making her gasp. She could feel herself nearing the peak.

"Atrus... I... I can't..."

She finally reached the climax. Her muscles tensed and her back arched. She let out a long cry as the sensation flooded her brain. Her vaginal muscles tightened up and gripped his member firmly. He couldn't hold any longer; the sensation was too much for him. He shot his load deep inside her, making her jerk as she felt his cum fill her vagina. The sensation drained her power and she collapsed against his chest.

For a while, the couple was laying side by side in each other's embrace, enjoying each other's warmth. They were lost in their own thoughts, but they knew what was in each other's mind, especially after their satisfying lovemaking.

"Atrus... Is this it...?" she spoke up first.

"What?"

"I mean, is this it? We've completed Lord Guardian's task. The alliance has been forged, and for a while the realm is safe. Are we going to live a life anew and settle down here?"

"Why do you ask, Anna dear?"

She looked at him thoughtfully. "I'm just worried. I mean... we just had a long and dangerous journey... I wonder if that journey... has come to an end..."

"But it has not." Atrus said. "We haven't completed our destiny. The Champion of the Guardian has not been revealed. It is, I believe, our destiny to find him." He brushed her hair. "It is your desire to find him, true?"

"But I've found you..." Anna answered.

"I know, dear, but don't waste your dream because of me. You'll find him."

"I don't know, Atrus..." she hesitated. "I just hate to lose you again..."

"You'll find him." He smiled warmly. "And when you do, I will be there with you."

The room was silent, yet not empty. The couple held each other close, enjoying one another's company. There was no need for words. They were one. They knew what in each other's mind. They could only wish this would last forever...

"You know, Atrus, I wonder..." she said. "You said something about voices guiding you through the Void. While I saw you there, I also heard it inside my head. Who might that be?"

"Now that you mention it, I remember." He scratched his head and frowned. "Who might that be...?"
Master Falagor sat on the simple wooden log and heaved. The trip had been interesting indeed, but it wasn't the one he wanted to do again. Even a trip to Hades was more eventful.

He remembered the very first day when he had decided to pursue the wisdom of magic. Now he wouldn't regret the decision. Being a wizard enabled you to magically create and destroy and manipulate things around you. Being a wizard enabled you to pursue knowledge further where no man had dared to go through. Being a wizard enabled you to travel between places in a blink of an eye, even to places inaccessible to common mortals...

Including the Void...

His colleagues would call him crazy. His instructors would think he's insane. His friends would see his action as an attempt to waste one's life in vain. Yet the court of Aragon hadn't chosen him as the royal advisor for nothing.

"Enjoying your trip?" the sound roared through the air.

"Yes, Lord Guardian." The wizard bowed humbly. "I'm sorry I have to cheat. I just can't let them trapped in that hellish place for the rest of the eternity."

"The man has so much to do." The Supreme God answered. "You've done the right thing."

"Is he ready to fulfill his destiny?" Falagor asked.

"He will be ready when he's ready." The voice said again. "Until then, the wheel of time goes on for the mortals..."

To Be Continued...

* * * * *

Another chapter done...

Probably I still have 1-2 more to go. I'm getting tired of this...

Anyway, thanks for the CC&C. Keep 'em coming!
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