The hero withdrew his sword from the snout of the dragon. It reared up for a moment, but quickly came crashing back to earth with a tremendous thud. Thinking quickly, the hero retrieved the mask of Jack of Blades from his trophy belt and held it up to the hideous visage of the dragon. It glowed with a crackling energy as it sucked the soul of Jack of Blades from its dragon form. As the transfer was complete, the hero heard a voice in his head. It was Briar Rose
"Wonderful! Now destroy the mask! Whatever you do, you must not wear it!" The hero looked down at the charred and scarred mask that he held and heard another voice, this one darker, more sinister.
"Wear me, and the world will envy your power! Join with me, and together we can rule the cosmos!" It was the voice of temptation, a voice that the Hero had yet to give in to. He had come too far to give in to this darker side, and knew what he had to do. He walked to the edge of a precipice that looked out over a vast pool of lava. He pulled his arm back and launched the mask into the abyss. His eyes traced its path into the roiling inferno below, and he was satisfied when he saw the mask plunge into the molten lava. It was finally over.
The hero sheathed his sword and walked back to the Bronze Gate that separated this hellish realm from the rest of Albion. When he crossed the threshold, he saw an extremely welcome sight.
"Hello, little brother. I'm sure you didn't expect to see me." The hero could only nod at his sister Theresa in response. "You have won a huge victory today, brother. Now I can finally unlock the rest of the power that flows through your veins." Theresa raised her arms in a ritualistic fashion, and as had happened twice before in his life, the hero felt his feet lift off the ground as Theresa's spell consumed him and unlocked the untapped power within his family's blood. This time though, something was different.
"With this power brother, you will be able to travel the cosmos and manipulate the flow of time. You can go back and view your life or go forward and view yourself in the future. Just know, you cannot change anything, only observe. The stars and planets will bend to your will, but the gods know that your heart is pure, for you wield Avo's Tear." Theresa finished her instructions and the effects of her spell began to diminish. The hero looked up at the sky and could feel himself reborn, and it excited him. Phenomenal cosmic power was at his command, and still he knew that he would not and could not be tempted by the forces of evil. He looked down to thank his sister, but found that she had vanished. He reasoned that it would be her final gift to him. He sighed and decided to tap into his newfound abilities.
From the distance, Briar Rose watched the exchange, saw Theresa disappear, and then saw the Hero who had saved Albion twice in recent memory disappear in one of the most brilliant displays of light and magic she had ever witnessed. She smiled briefly and activated her Guild seal to return to the Heroes Guild. Unfortunately, what she didn't see was the figure clad in a dark robe duck through the Bronze Gate…
To Be Continued…