AUTHOR'S NOTES :: To anyone who will still actually find this update
It probably came as NO surprise that I had not updated on this story for so long; you saw it coming. Perhaps, then, it will come as a surprise that I have now updated it, if for the last time. Wrote this awhile back (at time of last update) never polished it off or anything, but I started playing Ruins of Lore for the first time, I hate not finishing things, and decided to quickly look over what I had written and bring some closure to this attempt of mine.
Of course, with such a great, deep game there was so much room to do so much with, not to mention how many countless ways I've wanted to revamp what I've already written (like bringing magic in earlier in the book and bringing legends in more, etc.).
I hope y'all enjoyed it and thank you for reading and giving me the feedback you did. I enjoyed writing this and reading some of y'alls work, too. One reviewer gave me some advice to approach Taito (I think they own the rights) about submitting this as an idea for a real novel. I briefly pursued what it would take to actually pursue this, but found no way to contact them at all. So, I haven't done so (and doubt it would have amounted to anything anyway…but if anyone has ideas or connections...hook a brother up.)
Well, without further ado about nothing, here's the Battle of Doom Island:
THE FINAL BATTLE
He could barely breathe, nor could he move. He had no idea how long he had been in this wretched grasp, but he was exhausted. Struggling, he looked to his right, seeing his fellow warriors paralyzed and in pain as well. He worked to calm the confusion and terror that was rising within him. The previous events slowly started coming back to light. Then a dark voice, laughing, bellowed, "You will soon know what true terror is, Maxim." His eyes centered back upon the malevolent Sinistral. Daos' towering figure remained perched upon the decadent throne, whose pristine beauty countered the dark, horrid creature upon it.
A rumble then began to move throughout the room, starting slowly and then building into a great thunder. Water slowly crept upon the platform's floor, seeming to rise from the endless, dark chasm below. The trickle soon grew as water began to rush past the captives' feet and quickly reached up to their waists.
The three other warriors were then released from their invisible grasp; quickly stoking hope within Maxim's paralyzed body. He was confident that all they needed was one small opening. This flame was immediately extinguished, however, as the full onslaught of raging water was unleashed towards them. Water poured fiercely forth from the cavernous depths below, or perhaps some unknown source, taking Maxim's three friends from their feet. Artea and Guy were able to grab onto a stone table that was slowly breaking under the force, yet stable enough at the moment. Still, they could hardly breathe and barely hold on as the water rushed over their heads.
Selan escaped the brunt of this great wave and was able to stumble out of its path, yet she was immediately taken by a second, stronger wave. Soon this wave had her pinned against a large column near the edge of the platform, pounding her body against it, with no sign of relenting. Maxim struggled against his captivity at this sight, but to no avail.
Maxim then thought of the three previous Sinistrals, whom they had defeated. Their power seemed to be nothing compared to the one that held him prisoner, though. His enemy's strength was appallingly magnificent. Daos then rose from his throne, coming closer to Maxim. "I can see the terror in your soul, Maxim," the towering Sinistral almost whispered. "You now see the weakness of this silly human emotion of love, do you not?" the creature paused rhetorically, knowing no answer was forthcoming. "It clouds one's mind. It clouds the path to power. It is part of your human filthiness that we Sinistrals simply cannot accept. We will not be tainted by it. And, yet, this is what you consider one of your greatest strengths. But you see how easily it crumbles before me!"
Maxim struggled to come up with something he could do or say, but found nothing, no hope. The water continued to pound his friends. He could not hide the terror and fierce anger that burned in his eyes. Daos met his gaze, which caused Maxim to realize his thoughts and to check his fear. The Sinistral was amused at the human's resolve.
"Why do you still try to stop me?" Daos inquired as he came right next to Maxim's face. "Countless of your kind have accepted who we are and the way of life we have for them."
"You cannot offer anything but destruction and slavery," Maxim yelled back through his teeth.
"Slavery, you say?" Daos responded. "No, they have the freedom to choose life or death. Life comes along side us; death lay beneath our feet. Life is worshipping us as the gods we are. Rejection results in death, it cannot be any other way."
"You are no god, Daos," Maxim painstakingly managed. "What you call giving them life is a living death of slavery. You overpower, deceive, and abuse. That is not a god. They may have bound themselves to you, but it is not in worship, for you are worthy of none of it."
"No, you are deceived yourself, Maxim. There are powers in this world, some that you call 'good' and some you deem most 'evil,' but neither has strength close to mine. Mine is a power saved only for gods, so who is to say what is right and what is wrong? Humans, in their limited, selfish reasoning or the gods, in their omniscience and omnipotence? You are in the clutches of this sheer power yourself, something unimaginable to those who have not experienced it. This world and its inhabitants are at our mercy. What else is a god, but this?" said the Sinistral. With a wave of his hand the water stopped rushing against his friends, who slumped to the floor beneath them, out of strength.
"But a god cannot die, as your three friends have done at our human hands and at the edge of the Dual Blade!" Maxim retorted.
"You seem to be mistaken, Maxim," Daos chortled. "Arise, Sinistrals!" At that moment the three Sinistrals, Gades, Amon, and Erim rose from the places they had fallen. "You see, Maxim, you look to that wretched sword for strength and hope, but it is an abomination. Discarded eons ago by those it failed. Fallen from the hands of those slain. It will not save you. Now is the time of judgment, Maxim, and it occurs between Sinistrals and humans…it occurs between you and me. Will you seek my mercy?" Daos countered.
All about him confusion reigned and what was left of hope seemed to flee at Daos' words. The Dual Blade remained dull and impotent at his side. He knew, though, that he could not solely trust in his reason or his senses. So he bolstered within himself all that screamed for courage and against reason speaking words once spoken to him. "Dual Blade is the divine sword, Daos, and the judgment has already occurred. It has chosen us humans and with it we will put an end to your evil reign." And then he added, "even if another one must pry it from my dead hand to strike you down."
A slight crack could be seen in Daos' composure as he heard the human's words, but he covered it up with a smile. "That filthy sword means nothing! It chose you and it has failed. You have failed. You and your friends will suffer for it, unless you accept the Sinistral race's power. Serve me and this terror," Daos said, motioning towards his the three warriors lying upon the floor, "will all end."
"I will not," Maxim calmly responded.
"So be it," Daos offered, unleashing more water upon the three warriors. "You live for your friends, but they are dying and you have chosen to make that so. You will have nothing left to live for and soon that life will be gone, too." Maxim did not know what to think, but the waiting is what killed him. His heart broke as he turned once again to see Selan's limp body being pounded between stone and water and he wished that it could all end. But something pushed him onward in resistance to the foul being before him.
"Go ahead and call upon the Dual Blade, then. Save yourself, your friends, and the world," Daos mocked. "What, will it continue to let you down? Does it have the power to save, yet is choosing not to? Don't you see, Maxim, we are all that exist. Why must you cling to this putrid hope of salvation from a lifeless body of steel? There is no one out there and nothing to hope to. We Sinistrals are the ultimate reality. Listen; there are two forces in this world. Some believe in love and happiness, others in destruction and chaos. Love is but a weakening of true reality. The battle is set, and yet it is almost over. We have reclaimed what is true. The world will move on towards the new chaos and it will be glorious. It is just as Arek has foreseen," Daos said, his voice filled with wonder.
Maxim grew even colder at the mention of that name. "Who is Arek?" he found himself asking.
"Arek is the Absolute. He is the One who stands above all Sinistrals, above all creatures. He is the end of your hope, Maxim."
Maxim felt his strength leaving him. The terror that this whole journey and their hope for victory had been a lie rushed upon him again. All that made sense was the ugly snarl upon his enemy's face. It did not appear to lie, for they were beaten. The Dual Blade had failed. He had failed. This evil would sweep over the world in a rage of terror, ending the life they knew, the life they had wished for Jeros. A great emptiness swallowed his heart at this realization and tears almost filled his eyes. His thoughts turned back to his wife once more as he looked to her. And then their exchange upon entering this palace of death jumped back into his mind.
"You're right, Maxim, that is what he's doing, he is testing us, we cannot show any fear," Guy had said as he walked the mirrored bridge that Daos had beckoned them to cross.
"Our power is strong and the hopes of my people beckon me on!" Artea had agreed as he joined Guy on the other side of the two platforms.
"Come on, Selan, we are the world's last and only chance," Maxim urged his wife to cross the threshold with him as well and overcome this fear. His voice seemed full of duty, but devoid of passion and hope.
"I know, Maxim. There will always be hope as long as Dual Blade keeps its light. We will destroy these Sinistrals and restore peace and freedom to the world. This we promise. Then we will be able to return and live a life with our son. I miss Jeros so much. Look, the Sword is beaming even stronger than before," she answered him.
"What do you mean, it doesn't seem any brighter to me. This place is so dark and full of evil, it seems it glows even less."
"It is much brighter; you just do not trust it, honey. Perhaps you are trusting too much in the power of 'Light' that I cast so that we could see as dimly as we do now in this dark place. Do not let the darkness steal what you know to be true. The Dual Blade is our hope and it will not fail," she added looking deeply into Maxim's eyes. He remembered that look of hers, one of unflinching, confident belief. And then she crossed the bridge.
Had it been a sense of duty that had continually urged Maxim on in their journey? Did he ever truly believe they would succeed? He now doubted that he ever had. Yet something still stirred. Do not let the darkness steal what you know to be true. He knew this doubt was darkness. Help my unbelief, he screamed within himself.
And then a strange calm went throughout his body. The invisible grasp upon his throat was still painfully there, but his hope flowed freely now. The divine sword shone at his side and he reached for it. In an instant he had it unsheathed, mystifying Daos.
Just as quickly, Artea had gained his footing on the stone table and began calling upon the power of the wind. It rushed around him and Guy, sweeping away the speeding water that had beaten into them continuously. Artea's magic slowly increased, reaching Selan, freeing her from the pounding of the powerful stream. Her limp, breathless body fell into Guy's waiting hands. Artea was forced to continue in his magic, diverting the rushing force from reaching his friends. Guy reached into a pouch at the side of Selan's belt and pulled out a tiny bottle with a potion known as "miracle" in it. This elixir had the mysterious power to restore the strength of a warrior in only a short time. Still, it now seemed to take forever to work as its sweet, warming taste trickled down Selan's throat.
Meanwhile, Maxim had raised his sword and shouted to Daos, "With this Dual Blade I will put an end to your evil reign!" Maxim unleashed a flurry of attacks upon a stunned Daos who barely gathered himself enough to parry the strikes. Daos had never desired that it should come to swordplay, preferring not to use his weapon, but he was still extremely adept at handling them.
As their swords clashed, steel on steel, Daos bellowed angrily, "With my power that blade should be mine! It should never have chosen you and your decaying race!" Daos' deceit had obviously been destroyed, so he wildly continued, "I will have my revenge on that infernal sword and you, Maxim! I will pry it from your lifeless hand and destroy it. No one's terror matches mine and no one dare challenge my claim on this world's throne and live. It truly is a pity that I must destroy you."
The two combatants continued to exchange blow for blow, but Maxim's confidence seemed to be overpowering Daos' rage. Daos unleashed an unfathomable volley of strikes upon the human warrior, but Maxim was able to defend himself against it, fighting back hard.
Selan slowly came to and looked up with full eyes, seeing Maxim fighting the Sinistral. "Forget about me; you must help him," she yelled to Guy and Artea. But just as she did so, she saw something that caused her heart to leap within her. The great Sinistral fell to his knees before her husband. Daos' sword fell from his hand and Maxim kicked it further away. The water ceased pressing against Artea's magic, dying down into nothing but a wet floor. The three warriors rushed towards Maxim's side.
"This is the end of your terror, Daos," Maxim called to his foe.
But before Maxim could strike again, Daos sent a shock of Lightning towards the warrior. Fortunately for Maxim, Selan quickly reacted, sending her own magic to intercept the attack. The explosion of this collision sent Maxim sprawling backwards into his friends' arms and Daos backwards towards the feet of his usurped throne. Daos then rose to his feet.
Thanks, in part, to the distance between the two forces now created, Daos slowly rose to his feet. "Never will my terror end! The Sinistrals will be the absolute rulers of this world. Gades, Amon, Erim, gather before me! Let your power resonate with mine!" A red-glowing ring of energy gathered about the four heroes, trapping them within its racing circle. A humming sound emanated from the whirling powers viciously tearing into one's ears, deafening out all other sounds.
Over the hum of this force Artea managed to say, "The Sinistrals are gathering their energy flow into one flow. These are the last of their energy waves. They are resonating together."
"A last ditch effort," Guy scoffed.
"Who knows what power they are still capable of, even in their weakened state? Those energy waves could rupture and take part or the whole world with them," Artea cautioned.
"I won't let it happen," Maxim exclaimed as he rushed upon the energy flow with the Dual Blade, reminiscent of something Dekar would do without thinking. Maxim did not break through it, though, as he was sent sprawling backwards to the other end of the circle of destruction surrounding them. Maxim refused to shake off the tremendous blow he had just received, although he was sure he would feel it later.
"I can't do this alone. Selan, Artea, Guy, merge your flows with mine!" Maxim screamed.
Selan, with worry and weariness in her voice responded, "Maxim, it's too dangerous. I don't know if we or the world can take it."
"What world? If we don't defeat these Sinistrals here and now? We must do it now!" Maxim pleaded. They gathered their energy into a ring of its own, centered on the Dual Blade and it was then sent hurtling into the Sinistrals' flow that surrounded it, but it harmlessly bounced off of it.
Laughing, Daos taunted them, "Your energy, at last, is too weak and pathetic to break this final barrier. Our dark powers are too vast for your feeble attempts. We will finally be rid of your resistance."
"Give it everything we've got, guys! With Dual Blade we can defeat the Sinistrals," Maxim urged. Selan was struggling more than the others in order to keep her energy flowing with the others. She appeared to be on the verge of exhaustion; her breath very labored.
"Selan can't take much more of this," Artea called out.
"I'm…I'm fine," Selan corrected him, snapping her eyes open once again with some reservoir of renewed strength. "Everyone concentrate. This is bigger than us right now; it is for all of our people. Dual Blade is with us!"
Maxim raised the mysterious sword and the warriors' wave began increasing in speed and strength. The room about them began to shake from the force of the powers in opposition. Daos began to panic as the Sinistral's wave became unstable.
Seeing this Maxim raised Dual Blade towards the heavens and yelled, "Now!" The four friends unleashed tremendous power towards the outer ring of the Sinistrals. The two forces collided, shaking the room as a blinding light and deafening sound pierced the darkness. And then all was quiet and became dark again.
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Slowly the room came back into view. It was still mostly dark, except for the light emanating from the Dual Blade, stuck in the ground at Maxim's side. Slowly its light began to glow stronger and stronger. What just had happened came flooding back in his thoughts. He took a deep breath as though it was the first one he had ever taken. No Sinistrals were anywhere in sight. He could hardly believe it, yet with the peace that overflowed within him, he knew that the Sinistrals had been defeated. "It's over," he breathlessly muttered.
Maxim bent down on one knee before the sword, gently lifted it from the stone it was embedded in, and sheathed it at his side. And then he turned to find his comrades. He saw Guy first and ran over towards him, jumping down to a lower step off the large and battered platform. "Guy, are you okay?" he asked helping the blonde-haired warrior to his aching feet.
"They'd have to do a lot more than that to get rid of me!" he cockily answered. He was obviously in tremendous pain, though, as he hobbled on his right leg, and clutched his right side. He was sure he had more than a couple of ribs broken, but he wouldn't admit it.
"Artea," Maxim yelled next, seeing his Elven friend further down the left side of the platform.
"I'm doing fine, guys. At least it's nothing a few months of vacation won't fix," Artea told them, laughing as he gingerly got up. Guy was slower in coming to their side, but greeted the elf with the strongest handshake and hug he could manage.
Maxim had almost instantly turned to looking for his wife, though. His eyes darted back and forth, until finally he spotted her across a bridge, lying in a heap and not moving. "Selan!" he screamed as ran to his wife, delicately cradling her in his arms when he arrived at her side. Guy and Artea were a few steps behind.
Selan slowly opened her eyes, appearing lost for a moment and then fixed her eyes upon her love. "We finally did it, Maxim…" was all she could manage.
Tears formed upon his face as Maxim's world, so full of hope once again was quickly being dashed before his very eyes, in his very grasp. "What's the matter, Selan?"
"Now…the world will finally be at peace," she continued, saying nothing of her own condition. Guy and Artea had finally caught up to them and stopped at the edge of the bridge, paralyzed by their own shock at Selan's condition. And then the room shook more violently than before. The bridge began to crumble and a large chunk of it fell to the abyss below. And then another piece crumbled and within seconds a large gap had formed between the two pairs, Guy and Artea on one side, and husband and wife on the other.
"I don't care how we are going to have to do it, but we are getting out of this wicked place. We have to get you home, Selan," Maxim said through his tears and anger. His frustration at yet another obstacle to overcome made him want to scream at the top of his lungs. He began to lift her up, but she stopped him.
"I'm sorry, Maxim, but I don't think I'll be going back with you," she told her husband, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
"What? There's nothing to be sorry for. You are going to be okay. Let's get you back on the ground and looked after. I won't let you be lost now. Not after all we have gone through," Maxim confidently offered.
"I felt the eruption from the blast rip right through me, Maxim. It's taking all my energy just to speak," she sputtered, collapsing deeper into Maxim's embrace.
"No, Selan! Selan!" Maxim screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks and falling onto his wife's clothes. "Selan…talk to me! I can't leave you. I won't."
"Your life still has something left to give, Maxim. I can sense it. You cannot stay here with me," she lovingly said.
"The fortress is breaking up, Artea, we need to warp out of here," Guy yelled to his friend.
"It's no good, Maxim and Selan are too far away, and I don't see how we can reach their side from here. I can't take them with us," Artea answered. Guy screamed as more of the platform broke away.
Maxim's attention was turned elsewhere, though. In a weak voice Selan responded, "I…wish I could stand on…our land…once again…and hold…our son." And then looking one last time into Maxim's searching, wondering eyes she added, "I love you, Maxim. Your embrace…it eases my passing."
Stricken by grief unknown to him at this point, Maxim simply wept with Selan in his arms.
"Maxim!" Artea yelled across the chasm, still not seeing any hope of crossing it.
Before allowing Artea to say anything further Maxim responded saying, "You cannot worry about us right now. You cannot reach us; you must save yourselves. The temple is breaking apart. The Sinistrals are defeated; you must tell the people. You must help them rebuild."
Artea began to argue, but Maxim cut him off. "I can't leave her here alone. Please understand," the leaders words flew, mingled with his tears. "Tell the world of her sacrifice."
"Let's go, Artea!" Guy calmly said, surprising his fellow warrior.
"You can't mean to…"
"You think I want to?! When Maxim talks like this, it is time to follow; he is our leader. Anyway, he's right; it's the only way any of us are going to make it out of here. It's the only choice we have," Guy answered.
Turning to Maxim with tears in his eyes Artea said, "Maxim…the world will know. This we promise. Goodbye, friend. You must try to escape, though, before it is too late." And with that Artea used his magic to warp both he and Guy out of the temple.
Back on the other side of the bridge, amidst the noise, Maxim continued to hold his wife, whose life was almost completely gone. "Selan," he whispered, "There will be a new era of peace. Without you I could not have continued on. I would have given up so many times."
"We needed each other," she managed back, but could not open her eyes to look upon him again.
"I wish we could have seen this peace together. I love you. I will always love you, my dear," Maxim said, not feeling the peace they had supposedly just won.
"I love you, too," she warmly offered back, as their lips kissed one more kiss. And then her body went limp in Maxim's hold. Who knows how long Maxim sat there, bent over his wife, sobbing in his grief, unconcerned of the building falling in around him.
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And then the shaking of the temple and of the island stopped. And that familiar dark voice echoed through the cavernous room. Maxim had no energy left to counter its menacing feel. "You think you've won, Maxim? You may have stopped me from destroying this desolate world, but I still have this island."
"What?" Maxim questioned, unable to even muster the strength to say it forcefully.
"This island is headed straight for Parcelyte. Oh, the terror this news brings you as you think of what awaits the last member of your wretched family is delicious revenge," said Daos.
"Come out, Sinistral," Maxim yelled back in defiance, unsheathing the Dual Blade, which caused a low but hideous wail in response. "We have defeated you time and time again. If it must be done again, so be it." But he was left to stagger from the news of his son's imminent death, as Daos no longer responded. Maxim felt as though he had nothing left within which to lose.
He did hear another voice, though, that of a woman. "Selan?" he wondered at first, but it was not as sweet and loving as his wife's was. "Iris…it's you! Where have you been in all of this?"
"Yes, it's me," she answered back. But Maxim felt a strange presence about her. "I feel your power, it is familiar?" And then he sensed it. "You are Erim! What is the meaning of this? If you are Erim, then why did you help us all of those times?"
"I have been known by both Iris and Erim, Maxim. This was a battle of judgment between our races. The Dual Blade has chosen you. It did not happen as Arek the Absolute and Daos told us. I should not be surprised at that. Arek thought that the Dual Blade wouldn't ring for a thousand years, but it has come to you. I revealed myself to you as Iris to see everything for myself. The sword has come to you in the end, and I see everything clearly now. We Sinistrals have been defeated. Your world will have peace. But, I don't know myself why I helped you all of those times," Erim explained.
"Your voice is that of Iris' now, though. Whatever you are, there is still good in you. I sense that and I need your again. Is what Daos just said true?" Maxim asked her eagerly. "Is Parcelyte in danger?"
"My time is…running out, Maxim. My energy is fading," Erim sidestepped the question.
"I have already lost Selan and I don't want to lose Jeros as well. I need your help," Maxim pleaded.
After an excruciatingly long pause Iris answered Maxim. "At the foot of this island there are three Mystic Stones that control its movements. Destroy them all quickly enough and the island's course will be altered into the sea below; Parcelyte will be saved. But to destroy them could mean your life…" Maxim sensed Iris' energy fading away.
Your life still has something left to give, Maxim. I can sense it. You cannot stay here with me, Selan had so recently told him and apparently prophesied. "It would have been so much easier if you were by my side, Selan," Maxim said aloud, still filled with grief. And so, what little energy Maxim had left, he gathered into his final quest.
