As she readied her things for the coming battle against the King of Shadows a soft knock on her door made her turn, Casavir stood in the doorway.
"I need to speak with you."
She turned back to her things, hastily shoving them in.
"What is it?"
His response startled her.
"Was there more to Bishop's treachery then fear for his hide? He made it quite apparent to me that he was in love with you."
She froze, her whole body recoiling at the shock of his words.
"I pray that what has come to pass was not because...you chose me."
She could feel her nails biting into her palms and released the tightness in her fists. He turned her to him and embraced her, kissing the top of her head.
"I will make Bishop answer for his betrayal, My Love."
"No!"
He was shocked by her outburst and pulled away to look down at her.
"I do not want him harmed Casavir."
"Why? After all he has done I-"
"There is still good in him, I know it..."
He sighed and kissed her again.
"You are kind, but people cannot be changed from without. Redemption is only born within Maria. I have never known Bishop to show the slightest inclination to be anything but a cruel, cold and dishonest thug."
The girl remembered being helped up a staircase as the room swayed around her...A shiny pearl lily...the protection and safety of warmth and leather...
And suddenly she realised Bishop had shown her a side of himself no one else knew of, and he had struggled to do so. She stepped away from Casavir and grabbed her pack.
"We must go, we don't have much time."
"So...you have made it here, I am impressed."
The Reaver that was once the mighty warlock Black Garius greeted them as they entered the cave, an altar set in the middle of the room.
"But really...what did you think coming here would accomplish?"
His condescending tone grated on the wizard's nerves.
"You have done much to disrupt our war efforts, but you will answer for it."
Out of the corner of her eye there was movement, her breath caught in her chest as the man came forward.
"Bishop..." Growled Casavir.
"My debt to you is over Knight Captain, for what it's worth...I almost kept going for you,right there until the end."
"Don't do this," she begged, hating the pleading tone in her voice.
She had to believe that there was still some good left in him, that the corruption of the Reaver's hadn't completely irradicated him, or else al her feelings were for nought. He seemed to struggle inwardly, as she had seen him do many time before, as though words he wanted to say were being forcefully repressed.
"I can't help it...getting tied down, even to a feeling for someone...it just isn't my style."
A glimpse of colour at his throat caught her eye.
"I don't believe you."
He growled and slammed his fist into the altar, his eyes conveying what his voice could not.
"Why couldn't you let me hate you? Why did you have to be so gods damned beautiful and righteous and perfect? This would be so much easier if I could just hate you..."
"I think we have heard enough from this Knight of Neverwinter...and from you, Ranger. Now be silent!"
Bishop stood as though restrained, his face a mix of agony and frustration as he looked at her.
"I would love to see you watch your precious Knight Captain perish...but I have a more important task for you."
The man strained against his invisible bonds as Garius approached him and hissed into his ear, he then placed something into his hand. Without a backwards glance the Ranger left, much to the wizard's dismay. SH found her voice had completely disappeared, she could not call after him.
"I forgive you Bishop," she thought to herself helplessly, "I forgive you..."
Suddenly attacks rained don upon them, it was all she could do to send her own spells back. Blue shields sprung up around Garius and the altar, where a portal was now forming. He was trying to prevent them from stopping the ritual. The girl growled in frustration as her spells fizzled and died before they reached the barrier. A faint glowing light at her feet made her look down, the Sword of Gith shone there.
Maria picked it up and slashed at the shield, the light flickered and melted out of existence. An evil, cackling laugh was carried to her ears of the din of the fighting.
"You are too late...He is here! Nothing can stop him now!"
"We shall see!" she shouted back as she raced towards the portal. The ground began to rumble, knocking her from her feet, the blade flew out of her hands.
She thought she heard someone call her name.
Before she could rise, the smell of death and decay reached her, the air seemed to freeze and she could see her breath. A foot came down on her chest, crushing her lungs.
"Let me introduce you to my Master, pathetic creature."
The portal seemed to pulse and grow, she realised it was taking a shape.
The King of Shadows.
A giant demon made of darkness, all colour seemed to be leeched from the air around it, all except its eyes. Blood red slits surveyed its surroundings and it let out a deafening roar. Garius' foot seemed to grind into her chest, crushing her slowly.
"Now you die Captain, and I shall live to see this world conquered and destroyed."
"You're forgetting one thing," she gasped as she grabbed the Reaver's foot.
"Oh really? Please do enlighten me."
Her smirk seemed to irk him, she did not seem at all scared of him.
"I know your true name."
With these words she set the hem of his shadow cloak alight, causing him to jump back in surprise.
He shook himself but this only seemed to spread the flame. As she lay gasping for breath, Garius froze in surprise. Without warning a blade ripped through the front of his chest.
An inhuman howling escaped his throat as his form began to ripple, before exploding into dust. Casavir stood above her panting, the Sword of the Gith in his hand. He helped her to her feet and swept her into a brief hug before Amoon Jerro was upon them.
"It's time girl, we need to use the rituals of purification now, before it grows stronger!"
She nodded wordlessly as the old warlock grasped her hands and closed his eyes, she copied him.
Maria could feel the combined power of the rituals as it flowed through them, connecting them by a chain. In her minds eye a rainbow of colours pulsed and surrounded them, the King of Shadows seemed to visibly diminish.
The monster fought to reach them through the shield, they raised their arms and a sparkling web of light caught it and held it in place, the web cut into the shadow but still it strained against its bonds.
"It is greatly weakened," she heard Jerro's voice in her head, "But only the sword can defeat it. Go, I can hold the web in place long enough for you to strike the killing blow."
Slowly she released his hands, the air around her becoming electric. Without any prompting the sword was in her hand and she felt renewed somehow, refreshed. The girl could see the warlock struggling as she raced towards the beast, a sharp claw of darkness narrowly missing her face.
She looked up into the creatures eyes as it slowly shrunk towards her, they were void of any emotion and it chilled her. With all the force she could muster she slammed the blade into its chest. The piercing echoing screech that surrounded her reverberated in her head and covering her ears did nothing.
The room began to shake as the power contained within seeped into the walls, cracks formed and large chunks of rock and ceiling began to fall around her. In panic she looked around for her companions.
Casavir was straining against the surprisingly strong grip of the warlock, who seemed to be shouting something at the man. Fear, panic and horror wracked the Paladin's features as he struggled to reach her. A large rock landing beside her caused her to scream and look up. A huge boulder rested precariously on a column, ready to fall at any moment, she would not make the distance in time. She looked back at her friends, they had all seen what see had and seemed frozen in indecision.
"Run," she whispered, looking at each of them in turn, her voice becoming gradually louder as she told them to leave her.
"Run, Go now! Run!"
There was a loud creaking sound as the column gave way and the boulder fell, she looked up as it hurtled toward her, accepting her fate.
Casavir called out to her, she could see his panic and helplessness as he fell to his knees.
"I love you, stay with me! Don't leave me!"
"I'm sorry."
She closed her eyes and raised her hands, her last thoughts of her father and mother, dancing in the moonlight.
And then, nothing.