Countdown. There are only two chapters left of Flickering Torch.

Crumbling

Vaglu lined up the shot. Regret swarmed him. Murdering his lifelong enemy in front of the one beast he thought was worth sparing just wasn't right. He fought himself to keep his hand from releasing the arrow nocked to it. The aim is perfect. He would be dead instantly. It's not the death he deserves – he deserves something much more painful – but it would work. But Lyra! I can't let her see something like this! Not if we're going to live together, far away from all of these hideous monsters!

Vaglu thought he had convinced himself not to fire the arrow. Then, when Dirkalt and Lyra were almost to the tree, Vaglu's mind began to change. Think, Vaglu, of all that mouse has cost you! He made your life hell! You should ruin his life in exchange! Oh, but I did. He still thinks I killed Willow. But he's wrong! I would never have killed her! The last sentence screamed itself over and over in Vaglu's mind. Finally, he released the arrow without a moment's hesitation. He felt that the arrow currently flying was delivering justice. Then, the shaft sailed through Dirkalt's head. Blood splattered as the mouse's head broke open. The falling corpse almost crushed Lyra. The Dibbun barely managed to avoid her grandfather's dead body before it tipped off the battlements.

"Grandpa!" The screams placed doubt in Vaglu's mind. He began to question the decision again. But it was far too late. He cackled quite loudly and descended from the tree. Their game had finally come to an end. The cost no longer mattered.

I could pull back everything right now. I should pull back everything now. But Dirkalt's death! It was something he so deserved! Justice needs to be served for every one of those creatures in that damn abbey! Why should they be allowed to live for what they did to me?

XXX

Vaglu allowed several days to go by. He wanted Redwall Abbey to feel the pain from the Abbot's death. All of his forces from Salamandastron had relocated. The news of the black fox's death was relayed to Vaglu. "Good. It's about time he passed on. So it should be for anyone that wrongs me."

A new Abbot was named, not that it mattered. The murder, and the manner it was committed in, sent shock through the Abbey. They knew how much of a beast Vaglu was. He knew no boundaries. He had no morals.

"If he dared to fire an arrow into our walls, so close to a child, he will not stop now. He has no reason to," the new abbot stated.

"Wrong! So few of us were around ten years ago! This madness should be ended with that mouse's death," an Abbey dweller argued.

"Some of us were, though! If he went this far for Dirkalt, how far will he go for the rest?"

"None of the others did to him what Dirkalt did."

"Do you even know what Dirkalt did?"

"It doesn't take a brainless bird to deduce that Vaglu was abused here."

"We would never!"

"Physically? What about emotionally?"

"These events are the fault of one creature: Vaglu! There's nothing we can do but defend ourselves until he decides we are not worth it!"

"He's been waiting to kill Dirkalt for ten years! Can we defend ourselves for ten years?"

Then, a new voice joined the argument. "It's Vaglu's fault? Lies! What did you do to him when he was here? Why did you make him hate us so much?"

The Abbot tried to defend himself. "Dirkalt and Willow tried to live normal lives. Vaglu interfered with that. How can we place the blame on our dead?"

"Quite easily, if they're guilty!"

"What if they're not?"

"Are they?"

Tensions were too high in the Abbey. The sacred sanctuary was starting to fall apart. Then, further inquisitions were brought before the Abbot.

"Why weren't we allowed to even mention Willow or Vaglu? Was Dirkalt feeling too guilty for what he had done to the poor 'un?"

"I've had enough questions. Everyone off to bed!" The Abbot refused to take any other questions. The truth is the Abbot hadn't even been around in the time of Vaglu. He had entered the Abbey shortly after the entire Vaglu saga. He knew nothing about it. Dirkalt would know what to do. If only we still had our great leader to save us!

XXX

The Abbot tossed in his bed. He knew he couldn't keep the Abbey dwellers happy for much longer. "I just don't know how to do this! I wasn't even here during Vaglu's time! Why should I be expected to answer to the sins of my predecessor?" He paused briefly as a strange feeling entered his nose. "What is that smell?"

The Abbot walked towards the window. His jaw dropped. He smelled smoke. He saw the gathering crowd of vermin outside the walls, their flames spreading rapidly. Vaglu's recruits were starting to torch the Abbey! He prayed that the walls could hold. He did not know how strong the walls were.

Unfortunately, age had also taken a toll on the Abbey. Vines had grown freely across the wall, helping to spread the fire. It wasn't the vines that finished the Abbey, however. Nor was it the age and near dilapidated state of the walls. The one part of the Abbey that held the fire was the gate. The Abbot watched in horror as Vaglu's men took fire to the Abbey gates. Black smoke poured into the night sky. The Abbot gazed wide-eyed as each piece of wood in the gate began to blacken and fall to ash below. The fire spread through the gate and caught on some of the grass. More fire spread into the Abbey grounds, some catching apple trees inside the Abbey walls. The fire had penetrated the Abbey. In seconds, so would Vaglu.

XXX

"At long last, I have finally returned to the place that scorned me!" Vaglu shrieked as he pointed to the Abbey, directing his bloodthirsty army. Around threescore beasts pushed themselves into the Abbey. They threw sticks of fire through the windows. The largest windows they shattered with rocks. The Friar cowered in Cavern Hole. A ferret approached him with a wicked stare.

"Do you fear death?" the ferret asked.

"Do what you will to me, you beast! May you rot on this earth." The ferret's knife found the Friar's neck. He pressed the sharp metal through the fur and skin. Blood dribbled, then flooded out. The Friar gave a brief squeak, exhaled, and fell. His corpse lay on the ground as blood flowed outwards like a pool around the body. The ferret continued to plunder and destroy.

Vaglu stood in the courtyard searching for Lyra. She was the only innocent creature in the Abbey as far as he was concerned. She was the only piece of Willow he had left. He had to find her and save her.

"Vaglu! Stop! Why do you hate us?" the Abbot called from his window. Vaglu never got the chance to answer. The Abbot suddenly fell from the window and thudded against the ground. The impact not only shattered his ribcage but also killed him instantly.

"Serves you right," Vaglu muttered as he walked towards the Abbey. By now, the main building of the Abbey was also on fire. He saw Abbey dwellers begin to run through the courtyard, only to be slaughtered by vermin. Blood spilled on the grasses of the Abbey. A building devoted to peace had finally been toppled by war.

Vaglu happened to wander into the Infirmary, where he saw Lyra. She was wet with tears, screaming for her grandpa. She cowered in one of the beds. "Come here, Lyra! I'll help you!"

"No! They said you hurt my grandpa!" Lyra screamed.

"No! No, no no!" They lie, can't you see! Did they tell you where your grandpa is?" Vaglu asked, trying to trick her.

"No! They said that-"

Then, the Infirmary floor weakened so much that it finally decided to give. Vaglu and Lyra fell through the rubble and fire. The little mousemaid's body was so small, so fragile, so weak. She was dead the second she hit the floor. Vaglu took several seconds until he regained his senses from the fall. He was on the floor of Cavern Hole. His leg had a great pain in it. He suspected it was broken.

"No! Lyra!" Vaglu screamed so loud that the cries of the Abbey dwellers that were being massacred and burned alive and the gleeful screams of the corsairs were almost blotted out. He cradled the dead little body. He kissed her cold forehead several times, trying to revive her. He had no idea what to do. He was reliving Willow's death all over again. This time was different, however. This time, Willow was completely dead. There was nothing left.

One of his generals approached him. "Vaglu, there are no survivors. This Abbey will not be standing in the morning. What should we do now?"

"Whatever you want to. There is nothing left for me in this barren land."

Then, Vaglu began to limp away. Behind him, the great building of peace burned into a blackened waste. The Abbey fire created a great light, as if drawing a beacon to form a new age of darkness. And the vermin danced.