CHAPTER FOURTEEN: FINIS

"I'm sorry Vincent, but I have to do this." That stopped Vincent cold. Emily had disobeyed an order from her Confessor, which could only mean one thing…

…she wasn't confessed.

Noting Vincent's apparent distress, Emily decides to make a break for it. She takes her dagger and flings it at Vincent, embedding it in his gut; Vincent falls to the ground in front of the crib; Aaron is crying.

With a cry of pain, Vincent removed the dagger from himself, tossing it aside. He presses his hand against his wound, and it comes back bloody. He puts his hand back on the wound, in an attempt to apply pressure and stop the bleeding.

Emily, his best friend, had stabbed him. His best friend, the woman he quite possibly loved, had tried to kill him. That woman had also tried to kill Aaron, who was still crying. The woman Vincent had spent his life mourning, in anguish over his one mistake, the one action that had cost her her life. Or so he'd thought.

How did she regain her will? Vincent wondered foggily. How did she free herself from my Confession? Who sent her here? These questions and more ran through his mind.

Vincent had thought that Emily would escape, leaving him to die, and none of his questions would be answered. But then he uncle stood before the doorway, sword in hand, its magic dancing in his eyes: coiled fury waiting to strike.

But in this moment, Vincent thought, he is more than the Lord Rahl, more than the Seeker. In this moment, he is a father protecting his son. Vincent knew that in that state of mind, his uncle would not let Emily live, and they needed whatever information she could provide.

But Vincent knew his uncle would not bow to logic in this. It was the Wizard's Second Rule: Passion rules Reason. He could not reach his uncle as Vincent, he had to do it as the Father Confessor, an authority which, the Mother Confessor notwithstanding, even the Seeker had to obey.

But Vincent could not move without risking further injury, and while he sat there, helpless, Richard's sword came ever closer to Emily's head.

This is too important, I can't let him kill her! Vincent closed his eyes, blocking out the world around him. In his mind, there was only one thought: take away the pain. Every other thought that normally plagued Vincent's mind was no longer there. He had a family that loved him. Emily had never truly been confessed, so he was not responsible for the taking of her life. He was a Confessor, yes, but his uncle and Kahlan had shown him that Confessor does not mean monster. Vincent had finally conquered his demons.

With that knowledge came peace, a serenity that was essential to conjuring magic. That knowledge cleared Vincent's mind, allowing him full control of his abilities at last.

The hand over Vincent's wound began to glow. From it, ebbs of magic flowed, curing him of his affliction. With his Han coursing through him, Vincent stood, taking the dagger with him.

With lightning speed, Vincent parried the blow that would have decapitated Emily. Richard looked at Vincent in anger, staring into his iridescent eyes. It was then that Richard noticed the change in his nephew. He was not Amnell, the Father Confessor, or Rahl, the Wizard. He was Amnell-Rahl, the Wizard-Confessor.

They stood before each now, Seeker and Wizard-Confessor, neither moving inch, each refusing to be the first to withdraw, their weapons crossed before them.

It was thus that Kahlan found them.

"What the hell is going on here?" Kahlan asked, staring at the two men. She looked between the two of them, finally settling her gaze on her husband. "Richard?"

"Where's Zedd?" Richard asked, keeping his eyes on Vincent, who was still standing between him and Emily, the dagger between the Sword and its prey.

"Taking care of the stragglers, we've all but eliminated them. Answer my question."

Vincent answered her. "This woman tried to kill Aaron. When I discovered her, she injured me and tried to run, but Richard stopped her. I just now prevented him from killing her."

"Richard, is this true?" He nodded.

"We need to find out who it is that wants Aaron dead, and why," Vincent continued. "Since the other assailants are now dead, Emily is the only one who can give us that information."

Emily… why does that name sound familiar to me? Kahlan wondered. Then it came to her.

"Vincent," she asked softly. "Is she the one?"

The Father Confessor nodded, then added. "Assuming that she will not tell us anything willingly, she must then be… persuaded." He stared at Kahlan, pleading: he didn't want to be the one that did it.

Kahlan raised an eyebrow. "But I thought she was already…" Vincent shook his head.

Kahlan stared a moment, then nodded, acquiescing. "Richard, put the Sword away."

Richard did nothing for a moment, internally fighting down the Sword's magic. After a moment or two, he finally sheathed the Sword of Truth.

Kahlan steps forward, her hand outstretched.

"NO!" Channeling a burst of strength that surprised Vincent, Emily tore herself from his grip. She began to step backward: each step was a step away from the Mother Confessor. There was fear in Emily's eyes.

"No! I will not lose myself again! Please anything but that! Please!"

Emily was cowering now, in a fetal position near Aaron's crib.

Emily's reaction had confirmed what he already knew: she been confessed before.

But why isn't she confessed now?

Kahlan continued making her way towards Emily. Her hand had been inches away when Vincent screamed, NO!" and tackled her to the ground.

"What is wrong with you?" Kahlan demanded.

"Look," Vincent said, pointing.

Aaron's tiny hand had reached out through the bars to touch Emily; his eyes were black.

Emily was on her knees in front of the crib.

"Command me, Confessor,"She pleaded.

"Well," Richard said. "That was unexpected."

Zedd, Cara, Richard, Kahlan, Vincent and Emily were all gathered in the main hall of the Confessor's Palace. Kahlan sat in her throne-like chair.

"Who sent you?" she asked. "Why did you try to kill my son?"

"Where is he?" Emily asked frantically. "Where is my lord?!"

"Your lord is safe," Vincent responded. "Despite your attempt to take his life."

Emily was crying now. "I'm sorry! I would never hurt him! I can't! I swear!"

"I know you wouldn't," Vincent said. "But the people who want him dead are still out there. Help us protect him. It would please him to know that you are protecting him."

"Yes… I'll do anything!"

"Then answer the Mother Confessor's questions."

Emily nods, and Kahlan asks again.

"Who sent you? Why did you try to kill my son?"

It continued this way for some time. Kahlan would ask a question, and Emily would answer to the best of her ability. About fifteen minutes into the interrogation, Vincent pulled Zedd aside.

"When I confronted Emily, I ordered her to not take Aaron's life, but she refused. She wasn't confessed anymore; that's why Aaron was able to confess her? How is it possible that my hold on her was broken?"

"It isn't possible," Zedd said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Unless…"

"Unless what?"

Zedd snapped his fingers. "When I combined your Han with your Confessor Power, it created a melding of magics not seen in this world for ages. It created a new kind of gift. Neither wizard or confessor, yet both at the same time. This new gift cancelled out anything the old gift did." Zedd sighed contentedly. "I'm a genius."

Vincent nodded, taking in this new information. The two men turned their attention back to Kahlan.

"Thank you," Kahlan told Emily. "You have been very helpful."

"May I see my lord now?"

"No. You will never see him again." Emily began to hyperventilate. A few seconds later her gave out.

Richard's fists were shaking.

"Shota has interfered with our lives for the last time!" He exclaimed. "When I get my hands on her…"

"You are not going to do anything," Vincent told him.

Look, I know she raised you-"

"That's not the reason. I will deal with Shota." Richard stared at his nephew.

"Shota did not love me. She raised me in the hopes that I would grow to be her perfect assassin; the ideal tool to employ against the infant Rahl. I wonder now what she would have done to me, the last male Confessor, had I ever agreed to her dark design.

"No, I will face Shota, and I will show her what happens when you threaten my family."

Wizard's Fire burned through the swatches of marshlands and forests of Agaden Reach.

"Look who's back!" Samuel exclaimed with delighted squeals. "It's the ittle biddy baby-" Samuel screamed as the supernatural fire consumed him.

Vincent Amnell Rahl sought out the sorceress with his mind: after years of living with her as her ward, the Wizard-Confessor had grown attuned to the feel, the presence of her mind.

He found her at last in her den, peering into her scrying bowl.

"Hello, Vincent," Shota said with looking up at him. "I have been expecting you."

"Then you know why I am here."

"You will not kill me; you do not have the strength. I have seen it. You cannot kill the only mother you've ever known, who's had only your best interests at heart."

"You rely too much on your Sight," Vincent told her calmly. "The future is not written. And you are not my mother. My mother died eighteen years ago."

"The Seeker and the Mother Confessor have poisoned you against me, child. Do not let them control you."

"The only person who has ever tried to control me is you," Vincent said as he stepped forward.

"What are you doing?" Shota asked, a worried expression crossing her face.

Vincent ignored the question. His hand enclosed itself around Shota's neck, and he released his power.

"Command me, Confessor," she pleaded.

"From this day forth, you are to use your magic for the betterment of mankind, gifted and ungifted. You will never again use it to cause harm. You will leave my family alone."

"I will, I swear it! Is my lord pleased?"

Vincent turned away from Shota, with Zedd's lesson running through his mind. Take control of your life, Vincent, before others do it for you.

Vincent smiled as he made his way home. My life is my own; and I will live it as I see fit.