Warriors of the World

by Sage-Wren

Eight mercenaries must band together in an effort to defeat the darkness that clouds Rune Midgard. But they must grow to trust each other, for their lack of trust will be the cause of their deaths...except they hardly know each other.

34. Chapter 34

Before I would like to say anything, this chapter is incredibly long and the most full of action in this fanfic. And it should be.

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Chapter 34

The fire burned somewhat damply in the dark forest of bare trees. The two shadows sitting around it were no less despondent.

'Sitting around waiting for this "sign", as you say, is not really very satisfying.' Sagna sighed. 'I'm getting cold and wet and tired. There's no way I can sleep in snow.'

'Just put up with it,' said Edell dismissively. 'We all had to do our endurance training.'

'Not in this situation! Sub-zero conditions? A spell ready to rip the world hovering above us? You've got to be kidding.'

'Do I look like I am?'

There was silence.

After a while Sagna got up from his seat in the snow and went over his peco. It was lying in the snow, already in a snow hole it had made for itself. He sat down and leaned his back to the bird's feathery body.

'Wake me up when the sign comes, will you?'

'Yeah, whatever.'

As Sagna felt himself sink into sleep after a week's journey of endless riding and searching, he felt the ground shake beneath in his feet. But he disregarded it. It was nothing remarkable.

It was not a sign.

---

In the underground caves of Glast Heim there was utter silence. Then someone erupted from the large pile of debris in the maze, spluttering.

Another person burst out. 'I'm telling you, I didn't do anything!'

'Oh yeah? You're the one who cast Sanctuary!'

'I didn't do it this time! You know that!'

'How would I know? You were behind us!'

'Still! I only have a limited amount of energy!'

Another person burst out of the pile. 'Will you all stop making a damn ruckus? You'll be waking up the spirits with all the noise!'

'Frankly, I'm amazed you two can argue so loudly in this place,' said another figure, emerging from the shadows. It leaned the tip of the shield it was wielding and adjusted its sword girdle. 'Well, Valkron?'

'Yeah, let's get going,' said the knight gruffly, climbing over the debris. 'If this happens, one more time...I swear--'

'You'll do absolutely nothing,' warned Emeth, waving his staff at him. 'Now is not the time to argue.'

Valkron had to agree. At this rate they would waste too much time. The only thing they could do was go on.

'Before we go on I want to do a head check or ensure that everyone's all right,' said Valkron, turning around. 'That fall was nothing to laugh at. I'm sure I've got a bruised back from it. Emeth?'

'Here,' said the wizard, waving his staff.

'Iruna?'

'Valkron, I'm here.'

'I just said I'm checking, all right? Samaroh?'

'You just argued with him,' said the priest sulkily.

'Shut up. Nocturne?'

'Here!' called out the hunter, jumping over the piles of rock.

'Khan?'

'All right on this end.'

'And all in one piece? You don't have to answer that. Amaru?'

No answer.

'Amaru?' Valkron looked around. 'Where the hell are you? Amaru!'

There was no response. Alarmed, the others began to spread out, calling for the blacksmith's name. But as they called they could not deny the inevitable truth.

Valkron stopped in his tracks. There was no way the blacksmith was around by just calling. He might have escaped the fall, or maybe injured somewhere else. Whatever had happened to him...was up to the blacksmith now.

As he stood there mulling over his decision he became aware of a voice shouting quite loudly and drowning out the rest. He turned to see Khan scrabbling about the pile of rock quite desperately, like a dog seeking a bone buried somewhere.

The rest had stopped shouting in astonishment. Now they were watching him silently as he searched frantically for the blacksmith.

Valkron went up to him. 'Khan.'

The assassin looked up at him. In the shadows cast by the lit torches around them his face was hidden by his sakkhat. 'What?'

'We'll have to go on without him.'

'What?' Khan seemed taken aback by this suggestion. Then he growled audibly. 'No. I won't leave him.'

'We have to. We don't have a choice.'

'I said I won't leave without him, and that's final!'

Khan's words echoed through the labyrinth. The party stared at both of them in silence. Valkron had not flinched from where he stood.

After a few minutes the knight put his hands on the assassin's shoulders. 'I understand,' he said quietly.

'No, you don't!' snarled the assassin. 'What do you know about us? Nothing!'

'Hold it there, Khan--'

'No, you hold it there! You keep intervening into our lives and into our private affairs! You say you understand but you don't! What's it to you other than achieving your own means?'

Valkron tightened his grip on the assassin's shoulders. 'Khan.'

'For everything in the world you just keep going on and not caring about others! What do you think we are? You keep treating us as if we're not human! Did you know that?'

Valkron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 'Khan. All right. I admit it. But you told us everything about how you found Amaru. From then on you were his best friend, weren't you?'

This time Khan stopped. He stared at the knight.

'We'll go without him. All we can do is hope that he will find us, or we'll find him eventually.' Valkron opened his eyes. 'You do believe in him, don't you?'

'Yes,' said the assassin, his voice trembling.

'Then believe in his strength. Let's go. We'll find him, sooner or later.'

After a while Khan reached up and removed his sakkhat. He looked utterly depressed. 'All right. I'll come.'

Valkron lifted his hands off the assassin's shoulders. 'Come. We've got no time left. The spell might rip everything apart every moment now.'

---

Somewhere else, not far from where the Raulus party stood, a small pile of debris shifted aside to reveal a blackened blacksmith. He coughed as he got to his feet, using the nearby wall as a means of support.

After a while he straightened up and looked around. In one hand his axe rested against the floor; slung around his shoulders was his mighty hammer. He had brought nothing else for the ride.

Amaru checked that everything was still in one piece and then looked around at his surroundings. He seemed to be in a completely different section of the labyrinth that spanned Glast Heim's bowels, and he was alone.

He walked forward a few steps and then hesitated. The path he was walking didn't seem right. He turned around to head another way, and as he did he heard voices calling his name.

He listened carefully. It was the party he had been with all the while, and he was sure of that. The sounds seemed to be coming from nearby - maybe just a few walls away. He hooked his axe over his shoulder and purposefully headed in the direction of the calling.

Amaru turned a corner and came to a stop. There was a dead end in front of him. He tried another passage and came to another. Another path he took led him further and further away from the sounds, until he could hear them no more save for one - the voice of his friend.

'Khan?' he said to himself. The name seemed to stir hope for him. Immediately he set out towards it, seeking its source, hoping to find it soon.

But he met with dead ends, over and over again. He was getting desperate. The only time he had ever been lost was when he had been a child, a long time ago. It was Khan who had led him out of the darkness and taught him how to trust people again. Now his lamp was gone and he was stumbling in the dark once more, relighting his old fears that had lain dormant in him for years.

'Khan?' he shouted, in a bid to attract attention. 'Khan!'

But there was no answer. There were no voices calling for him now. He must have wandered too far.

Amaru pondered his next plan of action. Would he dare venture into the maze alone and find the way out for himself? He took a look down the remaining passages he had not tried and decided against it. They were too dark and threatening.

The blacksmith turned back and traced his footsteps. The passages seemed endless, the corners making him giddy. After a while he realised he had seen the same walls over and over again, and he knew he was lost.

There was one thing Amaru had feared all along. It was an old nightmare, and for him to tell the others - even Khan - was embarrassing. It was the fear of getting lost, like he had been before. Anything could happen.

Panic seized him. Amaru tried to calm down, closing his eyes and taking in deep breaths. It'll be all right, he told himself. They'll come and find me. They will. Especially Khan.

However, as the time wore on it dawned on him that no one was coming, or no one could find him. The creature that was panic seized him by the throat. He couldn't breathe; his throat was constricting and he was shaking.

This was not good. He could not afford to panic in a labyrinth. Who knew what would be out there?

There was a sound. Amaru looked up, temporarily jolted out of his panic attack. His hands gripped the handle of his axe as he straightened up, looking around warily for any monster that came out of the shadows, ready to pounce on him.

It came out, and it did pounce. But he never saw a thing. The last thing he remembered was a dark shadow covering his eyes, and then a surge of incredibly acute pain that knocked him cold.

---

The labyrinth was utterly silent apart from the sound of footsteps caused by an assortment of shoes. Not for the first time Valkron wished that they could move quieter and just at the same speed. There had to be compromises, however, and he knew there was nothing they could do about it.

They had chosen a straight path into the labyrinth. It wound sharply here and there until it forked.

After a few minutes of quiet discussion Valkron took the left path. They walked down it again, keeping a wary eye out for anything unexpected. It came in the form of the path branching out into three.

Valkron once again discussed with the others. They were not too keen on walking right. Nocturne had been in several dungeons where a maze had been built, and he had found his way out by using what he liked to call "the left hand rule". It simply consisted of placing the left hand on the wall and following it.

'Are you sure that kind of thing works here?' said Eni, looking up at her brother. 'This maze was built by people with sick minds.'

'I wouldn't disagree with that,' replied the hunter. 'But it is a rule that all mazes were somehow built with, no matter how crazy the architect. I tried it in all the mazes I came to and it worked all the time.'

'Maze builders must be incredibly stupid then, or incredibly oriented to the left,' said Emeth. He turned to Valkron, who was rubbing his chin thoughtfully. 'What do you say?'

The knight leaned backwards to peer around the corner at the left path. They were grouped at the mouth of the main path. After a minute or two he straightened up and said, 'I think we should take the right.'

'Why?' said Nocturne.

'Because the left doesn't seem to be leading anywhere. I know I may be saying nonsense,' he added, seeing the hunter open his mouth, 'and you might be right for all I know, but it's what my instinct's telling me.'

Nocturne shut his mouth. Then he opened it to say, 'I may have to listen to that.'

'Why? Isn't your theory more believable?' said Samaroh.

'I respect instinct more than intelligence,' explained Nocturne. He was promptly answered by an indignant 'Hey!' from Emeth.

Valkron waved a hand. 'We'll go right this time, and see what happens. Come on.'

He turned and headed down the path to the right. As he walked he kept an eye on Khan. The assassin without his sakkhat looked less mysterious and more human. He could see that the man was not in any mood to talk.

Amaru was the only one who didn't talk to me, he thought. Well, neither did Nocturne or Eni or Iruna, but from their behaviour it was easy to tell. Amaru...just didn't talk or act out of the ordinary. At all.

Maybe that was the danger.

A bit late to realise that, isn't it? said a voice in his head.

Shut it, you, thought Valkron angrily. We'll have to take things as it comes. There is no such thing as being able to anticipate the unexpected, no matter how well-versed you can get in human nature.

There was silence after that. Valkron kept walking, wishing that the long passage of smooth stone would end, when he came to a stop.

'What is it, Valkron?' said Iruna, from behind.

Everyone peered out from behind him. What met their eyes was a large space where six passages branched out.

'Okay, which one are we taking?' said Valkron, half to himself.

Everyone looked at each other. There was certainly no talk of using any rule here, and certainly instinct was being thrown off balance by the number of choices it had to make.

Eventually Nocturne said, 'Why don't we all split up? When we find the right passage we could get the others to come down our way.'

'I was thinking of that,' said Valkron quietly, gazing off into space, 'but then can you define "the right passage" to me?'

The hunter blinked in response to this.

'I have a feeling,' continued the knight, 'that someone wants us to separate. Someone is leading us down the correct path, but it has led us here and it wants us to separate in order to go on.'

'So we stick together?' said Eni.

'I'd rather be lost and with a group of people than walk down the right path and be alone,' remarked Valkron, still surveying the six passages.

'We're never going to find it at this rate,' said Nocturne. 'It's best if we split up. That's the practical--'

'No!'

Everyone jumped. Valkron was taken aback. He hadn't meant to shout.

'No,' he repeated, this time quietly. 'This may be a trap. All we have to do is trust ourselves and move on together. Which passage does everyone vote for?'

A few minutes passed. Then Emeth put his hand up. 'Middle. Straight on, if it's hard to see which is the middle.'

Slowly everyone put up their hands too. Valkron counted them mentally and nodded. 'Let's go, then.'

---

Somewhere else, someone who was watching said to himself, 'Very clever, Valkron. You saw through the plan straight away. I'm impressed...but it's not enough.'

---

They made their way towards the passage straight ahead when, all of a sudden, there was a heavy rumble from above. Everyone looked up.

'Samaroh?' said Valkron. 'Are you messing about again?'

'What? Stop accusing me, will you--'

There was a crash that drowned out the rest of the priest's words. Valkron looked up and shoved Iruna out of the way. Seconds later stone and soil thundered down onto them, shaking the ground and sending dust into the air.

Valkron coughed and waved the dust out of his face. The place seemed to be falling apart even more and more as time passed. He had a feeling, however, that when the spell unleashed its power upon the world the labyrinth would rise to become part of the empire as it had once used to. He couldn't get comfortable with such a horrible structure being part of the world again.

The dust began to settle. The knight looked up. A massive pile of rock that filled the place from top to bottom blocked his view of any of the other passages and the rest of his party. The only way to go now was the one behind him - and the wrong path he had suggested they take.

He frowned. Only one of them would be taking the right path - well, maybe two, since there were seven of them. And it probably wasn't the right path, but he wasn't going to bank on that.

Valkron exhaled quietly. The pile of rock looked thick. There was no way anyone could hear him through it. He had to go on alone.

With a last glance at the wall and feeling worried for Iruna, he stepped into the passage.

He walked for a while. There were no other forks or branches in his path, for some odd reason, and no monsters. He was starting to feel unnerved, but he kept his sword unsheathed and walked bravely on. There was no turning back.

Once or twice he thought he heard voices, but then there would be a cold wind sweeping through the place and blow it away. He wondered why there was a wind. This was underground, wasn't it? Unless they were already dead and the spell had ripped the world apart, resurrecting the Old Empire.

Valkron turned a corner, trying to rid his mind of such thoughts when he looked up to see a swordsman standing right in the middle of the passage he was walking along. He stopped and stared.

The swordsman stared back at him. 'Who are you?'

There was definitely no mistake. The angry, deep green eyes, the bushy white hair and the perpetual defensive stance.

'You,' said the knight.

'Nonsense! You can't be me!'

Valkron realised that at his age he had certainly not imagined himself being a knight. He had had quite a pessimistic outlook on his life and he had believed that he would die at an early age. For someone who had spent most of his life in misery you couldn't expect much.

'I am you,' he said. 'We have the same hair and eyes.'

'So? It doesn't mean we're one and the same person. You could be my grandfather for all I know!'

Valkron considered this. It was true, but he knew and believed strongly that it was him. He was staring at himself.

'I am you,' he said, trying to stay patient. 'I'm just...an older version of you.'

The swordsman stared at him until he began to feel a little uncomfortable. Then the boy folded his arms across his chest. 'And what am I like at your age?'

'I don't know. A lot...worse.' Valkron couldn't help himself.

'What? A lot worse than now?'

'Well, yes, I admit it.'

The younger Valkron gave him a glare he recognised. It was the sort of glare he gave his students when they weren't up to his standards.

'I wonder what I really live for,' said the boy. 'You know that? I was hoping I'd die and then that would be the end of my wretched life. No friends, no family, no one to be with. I mean, what's the point of being alone? There's nothing you can learn from it other than being independent.'

Valkron was trying to find out if this was part of his memories at all. he was sure he had not thought about this...but then, it might have been a background thought he had ignored over the years.

'Hey! Are you listening?'

But it had got a lot better over the years, hadn't it? He had a reputation people wanted to live up to, and now he had friends. The thought warmed his heart. He knew he had made the right choice in letting those people interfere with his life.

The knight looked up at the swordsman. 'You'll live alone for longer than you think,' he said quietly. 'But one day you'll find friends you won't regret having. Friends you can trust.'

'Oh, yeah,' said the swordsman dismissively. 'And all the while you keep thinking, "Why don't I have a better past so that I could have socialised better with them in the first place? They existed before!"'

At this Valkron was shocked. He had been thinking about it all the time! How did his younger self know?

The swordsman drew his sword. 'I don't see why I should have a future like yours,' he said. 'Best to finish you off now and get a new one for myself.'

'Wait, you can't just--'

'Oh, yes I can!'

Blades crashed in the silence of the labyrinth. Valkron swore. It was either die at the hands of himself or kill his younger self.

That's a good idea, whispered a thin voice in his head. Get yourself a new past. You can forget about everything and socialise with your new friends. They mean more to you than anything else, don't they?

That was the trouble. Valkron had often wondered about the value of friendship to the value of survival. The two concepts didn't seem to fit together, in his opinion. Should he give up his past for a new life, or should he let his future re-walk itself out? He hadn't been happy about himself for a long time.

Calm down. Think. You need to decide this fast, but if you panic you're going nowhere.

That was all very well, but he was fighting. He could not afford to lose concentration now.

For some odd reason the younger Valkron was quite strong and could easily parry and throw off some of Valkron's swipes at him. The knight did not intend to kill him but with a heavy sword he had to use with both hands it was not easy either. Eventually he switched to his scythe and defended himself.

'Come on! What kind of knight have I become?' said the boy fiercely, swiping out at him.

This is a total nightmare, thought Valkron. His head was still trying to decide, and his inner self was not helping. It was the hardest decision he had ever had to make.

Valkron lunged out with his scythe. The boy was thrown off his feet; he landed not far off on his back a few minutes later, ahead of a trail of dust.

Valkron stood over him, breathing hard. He had no wish to die. That was his sense of survival. He had never let anyone decide his life for him. It was his and by right his to manipulate.

The swordsman looked up into his eyes. Valkron looked back. And then he knew he couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to kill his own past.

The swordsman must have seen him hesitate. In a flash he was back on his feet. The blade of his sword plunged deep into Valkron's left shoulder, and the knight cried out in pain and shock. The boy pulled his sword out, and Valkron fell to his knees, clutching his shoulder.

'I shouldn't have missed,' said the boy in disgust, stepping back. 'But I'll give you one last chance, to make this fight fair. Come on, have a go at me.'

Valkron stayed where he was. The plick of blood dripping from his shoulder echoed in his ears. 'No.'

'What?'

'No.' The knight looked up. 'You have the right to get rid of me. I don't have a right to kill my own past. I don't see why I should run from it.'

The swordsman stared at him for a long time. Then he said, 'You...don't want to get rid of your past?'

'It's best if I give you a second chance at making a better future for yourself, anyway.' Valkron shook his head. 'I don't think highly of myself and what I've done. Go ahead.'

There was silence for a few minutes longer, and then the sound of a sword hitting the ground. The swordsman too fell to his knees.

'You're right,' he said. 'I am running from what I can't face. If you don't have the right to get rid of your past, then I don't have the right to get rid of what's going to happen. Even if I do...what are the chances of me living it all over again?'

Valkron stayed silent. This was where he could not intervene. Time was something that no one could interfere with.

'In due time,' his teachers used to say, 'in due time you will learn why everything has happened to you.'

It had been his most important advice. It had been the reason why he still had hope in life.

When he thought that it was as if his mind had been freed from a lead weight pulling it down. The swordsman in front of him dissolved away, but not before he saw the boy smile. He knew then, that once, long ago, he had thought of dying and getting rid of his existence but then remembered those words and knew there was no other way except forward.

---

Iruna had been forced down another path. Like Valkron she was travelling hers alone, and had no idea that the others were alone too. All she had was to hope to find the rest, especially Valkron.

She was worried for him. Although she still couldn't bring herself to trust him fully she still cared for him. Someone has to take care of the leader sometimes, she reflected.

The crusader rounded a corner, feeling the walls with the tips of the fingers of her right hand. She still had her blindfold on, but it was proving difficult to sense her way around a a labyrinth that was saturated with dark magic.

Her metal shoes clinked against the stone floor. Then the clinking stopped.

She raised her head, trying to discern the presence in front of her. It felt vaguely familiar...no, it was familiar...Valkron!

'Valkron?' she called out. 'Is that you?'

'Yeah, it is,' came the answer.

Heartened greatly by the sound of his voice she hurried forwards, her one intention being to feel his presence close to her again. They met somewhere in the middle of the passage, when she nearly ran into his chest.

'Whoa, slow it. What's wrong?'

'Huh? Oh...nothing. I'm just glad to hear you again.'

'So am I. I've been walking around this wretched maze trying to look for everyone else. Have you any idea where the rest have gone?'

'No, I didn't feel them anywhere around here. I don't know whether they're all right or not.' Iruna turned her head around as she tried to catch any presence of the others as she spoke, but she felt nothing.

'Oh. Why don't you take off your blindfold? It's already half dark in here, you won't want to make it darker.'

Iruna was only too happy to do so. As her blindfold slipped down her neck, still tied, she looked up into the steady green eyes she knew so well.

'How are we going to find the rest?' she said.

'I have no idea.' Valkron looked around. 'There was a fork just down the way I came, but I took this one and found you. I'm not sure if the other one would lead to anyone else.'

'Then let's go down there. Quick, before the spell above us does what it's meant to do.'

She was halfway down the passage when he called out, 'Iruna? Aren't you being a little too hasty?'

Iruna stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. 'What do you mean?'

'I wasn't too sure if they were the other way or not. There are hundreds of paths here. They could be down any of them. And besides,' Valkron looked straight at her, 'aren't you being a little too trusting?'

The crusader turned fully around so that she was facing him and walked towards him. 'What are you talking about? There's no other way we can find them if we just stand around here.'

'You really believe that I would help find them, would you?' said Valkron, folding his arms across his chest.

Iruna blinked. Then she frowned. 'Don't tell me you're planning to abandon them.'

'No, I'm not,' replied the knight. 'I wouldn't abandon them. But I've questioned why I like you. You know I'm not the type to attach myself to others.'

That was true, admitted Iruna in the private space of her brain. Why would Valkron like her in the first place? What made him like her anyway? She wasn't pretty - Valkron didn't go for looks, anyway - and she was not talented. She was just a crusader who had fallen from grace.

'And why is that?' she asked, her heart in her throat. Even if she felt ashamed of herself she was still looking for a man who would accept what she had done and look towards the future instead of stewing on the past.

Valkron shrugged, walking towards her. 'I don't know why I think that way either. I mean...I did like you. But suddenly I just wondered why, of all things.'

'You must have had a reason.' Iruna was slightly bewildered by now, but she didn't voice why. It was best if Valkron stayed ignorant of the difficult decision she had to make in choosing him or staying independent.

'I must have.' Valkron kept walking until he was right in front of her. There was where he stopped and looked down at her. She looked up at him.

'Maybe it's because I'd like to know how I love someone who doesn't trust me.'

The warm feeling in Iruna's heart shattered. Her eyes widened in shock. How had he known?

'It's strange to like someone who doesn't trust you,' said the knight, gazing into her eyes. 'Why don't you trust me, Iruna? You know I do.'

Iruna tried to answer, but no words could come forth. She had never thought he would know.

Valkron sighed. 'So you can't tell me, then,' he said. 'But as a knight of the Mercenary Division, there is a law in which a crusader who does not trust must be sent to the Prontera Court immediately.'

'What?' said Iruna, not believing her ears.

'Since there's no one there now, it looks like the other part of the law comes into place.' He drew his sword.

'What? What kind of law is that? It's intruding into people's private affairs!'

'If you had noticed a long time ago, the laws of the Prontera Court have always interfered in the private affairs of its knights. I'm sorry, but I have to do this.' Valkron raised his sword.

Iruna blocked his sword with her shield. 'But, Valkron...don't you love me to disregard them?'

She looked into his eyes and immediately regretted it. His eyes were colder than ice, darker than night.

'No,' he answered. 'My duty is more important.'

Iruna had no choice but to draw her sword. As swords crossed she felt utterly alone and empty. She knew it - she had been right not to trust Valkron. However, her loneliness had accepted him almost immediately. She would have a hard time killing him now.

Something struck her in the mind just then. There was something else she had not noticed. Something else that she should have noticed before, long before he had started talking.

Valkron is certainly detached and cold towards others. But when he says something he means it. This is not him. This person is not Valkron

The knight brought his sword down again. Iruna parried the blow and backed off. She had to think. If the person in front of her was not him, then who was he? And come to think of it, where was the real Valkron?

Not dead.

Iruna did something that she had not done for a long time, ever since her brother had died at the hands of the man who had lied to her. She prayed.

Odin, I pray to you...show me the truth and let me fight for it. I ask you as a warrior of the light...a warrior of the world.

And then she lunged forward.

As the knight skidded backwards, she knew it wasn't him. The fighting style, the way he had spoken and moved...it was not him.

The crusader threw her shield at the impostor. Instead of dodging it like the real Valkron would have done he was hit square in the face. She drew a cross of white light and fired it at him. He screamed in pain.

It took less than a minute for Iruna to plunge the sword into his heart. Blood fountained out, but it was not red. It was black and stinking - just like the blood that ran all over Argath Iruvedla. As the body sank to the ground she straightened up with satisfaction.

She watched it bleed for a while before remembering that somewhere the real Valkron was probably looking for him. She flicked her sword to get rid of the blood before running the other way. In her heart hope had risen again, and the only person she could think of was Valkron.

Iruna rounded several corners before she came to a passage where someone was kneeling. Relief surged upwards through her. It was Valkron! He seemed to be kneeling in the middle of the passage and clutching his shoulder. It put her in mind of a newly inducted crusader swearing his servitude to the Order of Juno.

She hurried to him and knelt down beside him. His eyes were closed. Blood dripped from between his fingers. She recoiled in horror and then recovered, quickly putting out her hand towards his shoulder and focusing her energy on the wound.

White light surrounded the wound. As it did so the knight opened his eyes and looked up at her. They stared into each other's eyes until the wound was healed, and then, much to Valkron's surprise, Iruna threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. But he accepted it graciously, and hugged her back.

After a few minutes they separated.

'We've got to find the others,' said Valkron, his eyes assuming their worried, hardened look again. 'They might be around here somewhere, falling prey to--'

There was a distant scream.

'--their memories.'

'What kind of person plays around with other people's minds?' said Iruna disgustedly, getting up and helping Valkron to his feet.

'Someone who doesn't want us to live, obviously.' Valkron picked up his scythe.

---

It took some time, but eventually they had gathered the rest of the party except for Amaru. The others seemed to have gone through something extremely nightmarish - Samaroh had gone white and wasn't talking to anyone, and Nocturne and Eni were holding to each other so tightly it was hard to tell where one stopped and the other began.

'Come on, we've got to forget about what happened before,' said Valkron briskly. 'We've got a battle to fight. Samaroh, you've got spells to sing, so I would very much appreciate it if you would shake out of that state and talk. Please. I'm not trying to be sarcastic.'

The priest nodded shakily.

'No sign of Amaru yet, Khan?' said Valkron, turning around to look at the assassin.

'No, and stop reminding me, you idiot.'

'Ah, sorry.' Valkron looked up at Emeth, the other person who had not spoken so far. The wizard looked like he had seen something he would not forget in a hurry. Valkron decided to leave him to it.

Silence descended upon the party as they walked onwards. It was as if a bond linked them, a bond that did not need words to convey. With this strengthened bond they moved forth to the exit of the labyrinth.

They stepped out of the labyrinth, feeling the relief surge through them. In front of them was not a long passage but a great pair of doors, runes carved across them in large script. The Raulus party exchanged looks and nodded. They set forth towards it.

But then their relief and joy was short-lived. Someone stepped out of the shadows and turned to face them. Someone with hair like a paintbrush.

Aldev.

---

Sagna tightened the girth belt of his peco. He tried to be as quiet as possible. Edell was fast asleep on the stomach of his own bird, finally given in to the demands of his body.

He looked up at the dark skies above. The spell seemed a lot nearer and larger than it had been before. He could see every twist and turn of the cruel script that was written in between its circles. It was still rotating and pulsing. He felt sick at the sight of it and turned away so that he would not look at it.

After a while he got down on his knees. He felt slightly embarrassed that he was doing this, but he felt like it should be done. He looked over his shoulder at Edell. The crusader seemed to be fast asleep, his regular, deep breathing accompanied by large puffs of vapour.

Sagna bowed his head and prayed. He prayed for the world and the people. he prayed for both of them to achieve what they had to do before it was too late. And above all, he prayed for Valkron and his party to win.

When Sagna had finished and was deep in slumber, Edell opened his eyes slightly and smiled.

---

The party stopped in shock at the sight of the monk. He did not look like the apologetic man they had met several weeks before. There was a murderous look in his eyes and they could feel a threatening aura being exuded from him.

'Aldev...' said Valkron. Then his eyes widened.

'It's not over,' said the monk. 'Not over yet.'

'Valkron killed you!' burst out Samaroh, shocked from his silence. 'What...What are you doing here?'

'Me?' The monk laughed. 'Just as I expected. Ignorant fools. I don't die that easily.'

'But still...'

Emeth looked at Valkron. The knight was staring at the monk as if he'd just realised something, his eyes wide open in evident horror.

'I've died once, but after that I never did.' A malicious grin spread across the monk's face. 'Not even when your so-called leader plunged his sword into me. Unbelievable, isn't it? Look at your faces! I could laugh.'

'You...you're just a manifestation of Argath and the emperor, aren't you?' said Valkron. He seemed to be barely breathing.

'That took you long enough to work out,' said Aldev.

'What? How did you know?' asked Samaroh, turning his attention to Valkron.

'Reverse his name,' was the answer.

After a few minutes Samaroh said, 'What? I still don't see it--'

'Vedla,' said Emeth. He too was staring now. 'Remember the Blood Judge and the emperor? Argath Iruvedla and Ilham Vedlavin.'

The monk threw back his head and laughed. Suddenly the party realised that the shadows around them were growing, creeping towards them.

'You asked me if I was a real monk,' said Aldev, pulling on his gloves. 'Now you get your answer. And, by the way, even if you defeat me you still have two more obstacles that will stand in your path so hugely you'll be short of men once you reach the portal. Turn back, and you might be spared that.'

'What, shortage of men from death or injury?' snapped Valkron.

'You choose,' answered Aldev. The blue spirit aura of the monk was starting to surround him.

Valkron drew his sword, but it was Khan who leapt forward, katars out. 'You coward!' he hissed between his teeth. 'I'll never forgive what you did to Amaru!'

'Khan!' shouted Valkron, but it was too late. The assassin viciously lunged at Aldev. The monk, laughing, whirled out of the way, the blades of the katars missing him by inches.

'Let the fun begin!' he shrieked madly.

Khan took a deep breath and rained blows on Aldev. The monk twisted and danced out of the way, a horrible grin etched across his face. Then, as Khan drew breath for another attack, Aldev launched a punch into his face.

The assassin flew backwards and landed on the floor in a crouching position. Blood was running down his face where the sharp knuckles Aldev had armed himself with had hit. His eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead and he leapt forward again. Aldev took a running jump and met him in mid-air.

There was a screech of tortured metal. Khan swiped out at Aldev. The monk hit away one of his katars and sent it sliding across the floor to a wall, where it shattered. The assassin kicked out twice at the monk and sent himself backwards. He crouched low and then darted forward.

The monk grinned. Khan was barely two metres away from him when Aldev kicked out at him. He scored a hit on the assassin's face and sent the man flying.

But Aldev was not finished yet. He took a deep breath, soul spheres appearing around him as he concentrated. Then he absorbed one. His outstretched palm glowed with blue light before he slammed it into Khan about a hundred times. Valkron winced at the blows.

The assassin landed sprawled on the floor. He picked himself up, growling audibly under his breath, but then he coughed and blood splattered all over the floor.

'Khan! Stop it!'

But the assassin was being driven by pure rage. In one second he had gone from sight. Aldev's hands shot out and a blue ball began circling around him. Khan came into sight, and lunged out, catching the monk's throat and sending him crashing downwards into the stone floor.

Aldev laughed and slammed his unarmed fist into Khan's nose. There was a sickening crack. The assassin leapt off and skidded away, clutching at his bleeding nose.

'How was that?' asked the monk, his bloodshot eyes mad and staring. He cracked his knuckles. 'And how about more?'

Khan swore and unsheathed two daggers. He lunged straight for the monk, his blades glowing purple. As the others watched in shock his blades rained blows on the monk's chest, harder and faster until they were just a bright purple glow.

There was a flash of light. Khan hit out with all his might. There was an almighty boom as the speed of his final blow broke the sound barrier. The monk was flung away.

'Go, Khan!' shouted Eni.

But Aldev was more difficult than they thought. He somersaulted in the air and, as he reached the wall opposite, kicked off. He was so fast that when he turned over in midair he was already where Khan was standing.

The assassin received a mighty kick in the chest. Aldev grabbed his arm and pulled him towards himself.

'Enjoying it so far? 'Cause I am!'

The monk blurred. He was raining so many blows with his palms that the force was overcoming gravity. Khan was gradually rising into the air. Then the monk finished it off with a hit straight in the chest and a kick that slammed the assassin into the ground, so hard that the stone cracked.

Dust settled. Aldev straightened up, his grin one of insanity. He gazed down at his still opponent.

'Who's next?' he announced, turning to face the others.

Valkron gripped his scythe. There was no way he could do this without the others. Khan had already proven that.

'Working together, everyone?' he asked.

'You've got us,' answered Emeth.

Samaroh sang quietly behind him. Light surrounded Valkron. He felt his sense heighten and charged. Behind him Emeth was already summoning his energy together. Iruna drew her sword and charged as well, running alongside Valkron. Nocturne fitted arrows into her bow and aimed.

Despire his strength Aldev was certainly not prepared when six people, all of different professions, moved in on him. He disappeared under a fiery strike by Valkron, a massive blizzard by Emeth, and a rain of arrows from above. Iruna sent her shield into him as he went down.

But he was still pretty tough. He leapt up again and aimed for Iruna. She held up her massive shield, which glowed momentarily with white light, before he hit it. Although she skidded backwards from the impact she was unscathed.

Valkron ran up to Aldev's back while he was trying to force his energy to break the shield and whirled his sword. When the humming was at its loudest he struck. The black, stinking blood was incredible and he had to restrain himself from holding his nose as the horrible fluid splashed all over him.

There was a shout. Iruna and Valkron looked up, and then broke to their heels in opposite directions. Aldev looked up. They saw his expression before seven massive pillars of lightning crashed down onto him. It was immediately followed by a green marsh and then a huge earth spike erupting from the ground and throwing him into the air.

Nocturne followed up Emeth's attacks. He drew back his arrow, and as he did it flashed with light and glowed. He fired it swiftly. It buried its sharp head into Aldev's left upper arm and exploded. Seconds later an entire arm landed in front of the party.

Aldev landed on his feet, slightly unsteady. He looked at the bleeding stump of what used to be his arm.

But it wasn't over. As soon as he had looked up from it the handle of an axe landed on his head. Eni swiped at him, ripping through his clothes as she got closer and closer. He snorted with scorn and kicked her out of the way, only to reveal white lightning heading straight for him. It hit so hard he was sent backwards.

'Eni, get Khan out of the way! We'll deal with him!' commanded Valkron.

Emeth slammed the end of his staff into the ground. A massive ball of lightning formed almost immediately in front of him. With a short bellow he shoved it straight at Aldev. It engulfed the monk in its crackling energy.

Valkron could feel his legs shaking, but his tiredness disappeared when white light surrounded him again. He looked behind and saw Samaroh doing a mass heal. This was not as easy as it looked, because he knew the priest was concentrating his energy at all of them. Considering they were spread far apart he admired Samaroh for being able to reach all of them.

Aldev charged forward, still with his bleeding stump. His foot touched the ground four feet away from them, and there was a bright flash of light as Nocturne's trap went off.

'Good one!' shouted Valkron, seeing Aldev paw at his eyes. The light had temporarily blinded the monk. He charged forward and brought his sword down on the monk's head, putting all his strength into the blow.

There was a long scream. Everyone dropped their weapons and clapped their hands to their ears. It echoed through the labyrinth and faded away long after the body of the monk had disintegrated into nothing.

Valkron swore, wincing as the scream rang in his ears. 'Right. Let's get on.'

'But what about the doors?' said Samaroh, looking dishevelled.

As an answer Emeth pointed his staff at the doors. They were wide open.

'It's as if defeating each obstacle we come across would open the next level for us,' grumbled Eni, hefting her axe. 'I'm getting tired of this, I've had enough of games.'

'We'll have to end it anyway,' said Valkron, leading them into the next room.

Once again they stopped. Once again they stared.

Samaroh, who was carrying Khan, whistled. 'It's a good thing Khan's out cold.'

Standing in front of them was Amaru. His hammer was slung over his shoulder, his axe in his hands. Before him the shadows reached for the party, their greedy talons stretching towards them.

'Right,' said Valkron. 'Samaroh, get Khan away from this. We're fighting seriously and together. Don't any of you dare to attack when it's not the time to.'

As the priest moved off Valkron tapped his sword on the ground. 'I'm going to say this once,' he said, 'so you'd better listen. Amaru is not the one fighting. Someone else is controlling him. Whatever you do don't injure him.'

'Easier said than done,' muttered Emeth.

Amaru grasped his axe. It glowed with golden light. Valkron charged.

When their blades met with an awful crash Samaroh sang once again. Emeth ran forward as well, along with Iruna. Nocturne spotted a ledge not far away from where they were fighting and leapt up to it, nimbly scrambling on and fitting arrows into his bows.

The battle was more compact this time. Valkron had adopted a hit-and-run strategy with Aldev, where those capable of close combat had only attacked when they had the opportunity and those of long range had the advantage. Now he had adjusted for melee, using his experience to block and defend himself form Amaru's attacks. As he did so he tried to snap the blacksmith out of his trance.

'Amaru, for Odin's sake!' he shouted, trying to throw off the blacksmith's axe, 'it's us! The Raulus!'

But the blacksmith did not listen. He slammed his axe into Valkron's sword, so hard that the knight was thrown off his feet. Iruna caught the hard blow on her shield instead, before Emeth could get hit.

'Get his back, Emeth!' she shouted.

The wizard was there before she had finished yelling. His staff hit out. Amaru turned and shoved the end of his axe handle into the wizard's solar plexus.

Nocturne concentrated, his hands on a trap. Then he quickly unhooked it from his belt, swiftly stuck a talisman on it and threw it at the ground. The stone floor swallowed it up. Minutes later, as Amaru moved over it, the trap went off and immobilised him.

The blacksmith looked up. Nocturne tried to figure out what he was thinking, but by then it was too late. Ten thousand zeny hit him straight in the face and he promptly fell off the ledge he was perched on. He landed with a thud on the floor.

Eni charged, her axe upraised. For a woman of such small build she fought exceedingly well with Amaru, blocking with her own axe as he attacked her with his. He was still immobilised, but she could see the effect was wearing off.

She swung, hard. He swung back.

Her axe shattered under the blow.

The alchemist leapt back to avoid another swipe. 'Damn it!'

'Get to the back, Eni!' shouted Valkron.

Iruna cast her Holy Cross. Amaru seemed slightly dazed after the cross hit him, but it did not stop him from hitting out at her. She swung out her shield in front of her, and felt the metal shudder as the axe blade bit into the thick shield.

Valkron brought the hilt of his sword down onto Amaru's back, hoping that the blow would not kill the blacksmith. However, the blacksmith spun around and gave him a punch in the face. The knight staggered back, his vision blurring from the impact.

Amaru's axe was still stuck in Iruna's shield. She reached up and pulled it off, and while the blacksmith was punching Valkron threw it aside. When he turned back to face her she gave him a roundhouse blow.

'That's for hitting Valkron,' she snapped, as he staggered.

'No time to get revenge, Iruna!' shouted Valkron, hefting his sword. 'We've got to knock him cold!'

But try as they might Amaru was completely resistant to any hard blow they gave him. Valkron glanced at the motionless Khan as he backed off, trying to take a rest before he attacked again. If only the assassin was awake...he would have solved the problem by now.

Just then Samaroh ran up to him. 'Valkron!'

'What is it?'

'There's only one way that can stop Amaru.' The priest looked unsure of himself. 'I don't know if it'll work, but it's the only idea I have.'

'As long as it works and doesn't injure him anything will be fine,' said Valkron. He thought over this and then added quickly, 'Tell me what it is, I'll consider if it's dangerous or not.'

'Exorcism,' said Samaroh.

Valkron stared at him. Then he said, 'Do it!'

'I need backup!' called out Samaroh, as the knight turned and went for the blacksmith again. 'Buy me some time and get out of the way when I tell you to!'

As Valkron battled fiercely again he couldn't help wondering if Samaroh was going to use the spell he had mentioned before - the Ultima Magna Exorcisma. By Church laws it should be forbidden, but now who was there to forbid them except the gods?

Amaru had pulled out his hammer by now. Iruna's shield had been badly dented by it and she was finding it difficult to wield it properly. She got rid of it and continued fighting, but Valkron could see she was getting tired. Emeth was still unable to get up after getting hit by the axe handle, and Eni was out of the battle. Nocturne was nursing a dislocated shoulder from his fall. If he was right Samaroh had healed it, but now only he and Iruna were left to fight Amaru.

The blacksmith slammed his hammer into the ground. The sound temporarily deafened Valkron, before the shockwave threw him off his feet. He struggled to get up again, sharp needles of pain shooting through his chest. He might have broken a rib or so.

Iruna healed him quickly, giving him some of his energy back. They backed off, watching Amaru warily as he watched them. Compared to the raving insanity of Aldev his emotionless face and silence were unnerving.

'What's Samaroh doing?' asked Iruna.

Valkron looked at the priest. A magic circle had lit up around him, rotating quite fast as he gestured and sang under his breath.

'Buy him some time. It might work.' He looked at Iruna. 'Go!'

The crusader took off. Amaru was caught unawares by her sudden charge, but he rallied and brought up his hammer to meet her sword. As the two fo them tussled together Valkron sheathed his sword and picked up his scythe from where he had laid it.

Amaru had probably not expected it, but Valkron was impressed that he could still block the scythe as it had spun towards him. The scythe ricocheted off the hammer and flew back to Valkron, who caught it. He gritted his teeth. Amaru was proving to be a tough opponent - even tougher than Aldev.

Suddenly his head jerked towards Samaroh. The singing had stopped. The light around Samaroh was illuminating the whole room, and his blonde hair was flying out in the gale of power that was whirling around him.

The priest opened his eyes. Everyone looked at him, even Amaru.

Iruna threw herself out of the way and so did everyone else. It was between Samaroh and Amaru now.

'ULTIMA!'

A massive, even larger circle slammed down around Samaroh.

'MAGNA!'

There was a glimmer from above him. A circle appeared above his head, spinning as fast as the ones below.

'EXORCISMA!'

A mighty cross slammed into the ground where he was standing, its longest arm with Amaru at the end of it. Then a pillar of light shot upwards from the ground from beneath Samaroh's feet and broke through the ceiling above, bringing down large chunks of earth and stone all around the room.

There was an explosion. A ring of light erupted from the pillar and expanded rapidly. Valkron felt the force of the pure white light shove him backwards. But he did not expect the beam of light to fire out of the raging pillar of white fire and hit Amaru head on.

The light blinded them all. Seconds later the explosion that followed threw all of them off their feet.

Then there was silence.

---

Sagna and Edell were clearing away their things and packing them properly when something similar to an earthquake occurred. They had to hold on to their pecos as the ground shook hard.

'What the--' began Sagna, but Edell cut him short.

'Look!'

Sagna turned to see where he was pointing. There was a pillar of white light not far in the distance, reaching up into the dark clouds above. As it did the clouds parted to let the light through, creating rays of light shining down.

'That's it! That's our sign!'

Sagna wasn't so sure, but the urge to reach Valkron overrode his thoughts. He mounted his peco. 'All right! Let's get to Glast Heim!'

---

Valkron coughed as he got to his feet. Around him everyone was getting up, dusting themselves and wheezing as the dust settled around them. Amazingly enough it seemed that no one had been injured by any of the falling debris that lay around them now.

He looked up. Samaroh was still standing, and so was Amaru. Both looked incredibly still and were still facing each other. It was as if nothing had happened.

The first one who moved was Amaru. He fell to his knees limply, dropping his hammer on the way. As his head hung Eni shrieked, 'Samaroh!'

Everyone turned to look at the priest, just in time to see his book fall to the floor. He followed a few seconds later, collapsing like a piece of wet paper.

Eni and Iruna ran over to him. The alchemist reached him first and turned him gingerly over. Iruna came up behind her as she did.

'Will he be all right?' she asked the crusader anxiously.

Iruna knelt down and felt for his pulse. She checked him for a while and then said, 'He'll be all right. It's just exhaustion. He must have summoned every ounce of his energy to cast that massive spell - as it is, he's still a healer, not an exorcist.'

Nocturne joined them. 'Looks like we've got another one down.'

Valkron joined Emeth as they walked towards Amaru. Their weapons were still out and they were approaching him cautiously. They had good reason to.

In the silence the blacksmith looked up at them blearily. From his eyes they could tell he was normal now.

'What happened?' he asked.

Valkron and Emeth looked at each other. Then the knight sheathed his sword. 'A lot,' he replied.

Amaru blinked. 'What? What do you mean, a lot? Why are you all...' His voice trailed away as he focused on what was happening behind the two of them.

The two of them waited as the blacksmith got to his feet, trembling. He was no doubt in shock over what had occurred within the hour or so. His breathing came short and fast like that of a man trying to control himself as he surveyed the fallen debris, the hole in the ceiling and the casualties.

Khan.

Amaru buried his face in his hands. 'Oh, gods...tell me what I did. Please.'

'If you're referring to Khan, that wasn't your fault,' said Valkron. 'If you're referring to Samaroh, he did that of his own free will. Don't blame yourself.'

'I should,' said the blacksmith, his voice muffled. 'You tired yourselves out to make me come to my senses. If I hadn't resolved everything in the first place nothing would have happened.'

'If nothing had happened this would be the most boring journey ever,' said Valkron dryly.

'Don't cry over spilt milk,' said Emeth, throwing his arm around Amaru's shoulders. 'Wipe it away and pour yourself another glass! Oh, and make sure you don't spill it again,' he added, seeing Valkron's expression.

'Right. Nice analogy.' Valkron turned. 'Oi! Come on, we've just got one last thing to do!'

'But what about Samaroh?' called back Iruna.

'Eni stays here with Khan and Samaroh! The rest of you come with me! There's fighting we have to do here, you know!'

As Eni and Iruna turned away to discuss this bit of news Valkron turned back to Emeth and Amaru again. Nocturne was making his way to where they were standing, but judging by the piles of rock he would not be reaching them for some time. 'Let's go. We've got a job to finish.'

Amaru looked away. Valkron felt sorry for him. 'Amaru,' he said, his tone softening, 'if you still think you're at fault, there's one way you can redeem yourself. We're going to destroy the portal, and you'd better be there.'

---

The ground shook and snow flew into the air as the pecos' taloned feet thundered. Sagna and Edell were riding their birds at full run, and they could see the open gates of Glast Heim ahead.

'It's too far ahead!' shouted Sagna, over the wind. 'Will we make it in time?'

'We'd better!' shouted back Edell.

Above them the spell began to descend on the tallest tower of Glast Heim.

---

With only five people left after the battle and their supporter gone Valkron admitted that he wasn't feeling too confident of himself as they made their way through the third door. He'd be damned if there was still more fighting that would take out more of his party.

But when they walked into the next room Emeth reeled back and choked. Valkron caught him before he fell. 'Emeth!'

The wizard was shaking badly, his eyes wide and staring. As Valkron watched in horror they began to glow golden.

'Oh my...' said Iruna, staring up.

In front of them was a massive ring of stone. It was just a ring. Anyone could have passed through the hole in the middle...

...if it wasn't filled with a noxious purple gas that twisted and swirled in the middle.

It was flanked by two great pedestals, upon which large purple glass orbs glowed, pulsing. They too were filled with the same purple gas that swirled around.

'That's the portal?' said Nocturne, his tone one of disbelief.

'Yes, it is,' said a familiar voice from the shadows. 'My creation.'

Argath Iruvedla stepped out of the shadows. He was wearing his elaborate black armour, his massive black sword in one hand.

At the sight of him the remaining party members except Emeth drew their weapons. The Blood Judge laughed.

'I'm impressed,' he said. 'Which is commendable, because I have never been impressed with the humans of the present. You saw through my plans and broke through my defences, all set up to stall you. And yet you overcame them together. Wonderful.'

He walked towards them. They bunched up, watching him warily.

'But if you had died on the way here I would have been so disappointed,' he said softly. 'Because then I wouldn't be able to have some fun with you personally.'

'We're not here for you to play with, Argath,' said Valkron.

'I know. But do you think I would let you?' A grin stretched across his face. 'By the way, Baphomet did not have the power to fully remove that curse from you. There will always be a trace of it left in your blood, and ne day...one day, when you become like me, you will die soon after.'

'I'll never be like you,' said Valkron.

Argath's smile widened. 'You say that now, Valkron, but don't forget - I have the power to the see the future. I know what I'm talking about.'

'Stop this portal now,' said Iruna.

The man raised his eyebrows. 'Or else? I told you, I am not going to allow you to stop it. However, I've decided that I will let you have a chance at it.'

He swung out his sword and aimed it straight at Valkron. 'That is, if you defeat me first.'

Valkron sheathed his sword. 'Fine. But you fight against the scythe, not the sword.'

'Fair enough.' Argath seemed to be thinking of something. He looked somewhere else for a moment, and then looked back. 'Out of curiosity, Valkron...how did you know that Aldev was not human?'

'The rage your mark stirred up in me gave me clearer sight that I have ever had,' answered Valkron.

Argath did not seem the least bothered by this. 'So you knew he was there to taunt and discourage you?'

'During that time, obviously.'

The Blood Judge closed his eyes. 'If you had given in to your weaknesses, you would have become the most powerful man in the whole world.'

'What? And let that thing in the portal enter me? No thanks.' Valkron hefted his scythe. 'Power isn't half of what I found on my way here, Argath, unfortunately for you.'

'Which is?'

Valkron waved his hand at the people standing behind him. 'It's right in front of you.'

The Blood Judge chuckled, although it wasn't a very nice one. 'Shrewd of you. You would have made a good candidate for the throne if you hadn't rejected such a wonderful gift for something so small.'

'It may be small in your eyes,' retorted Valkron, 'but it wasn't for me.'

'I see. So will it help you in this?'

Valkron barely blocked the massive black sword. As he strained against the weight he heard the others behind him back off.

Suddenly there was a rumble overhead. Valkron looked up and sped away. A blizzard broke out where he had been standing a few seconds ago.

The knight spun around to see Emeth with his staff upright in the air, magic whirling around him. His eyes were glowing, staring emotionlessly into space.

'You still want to cheat?' said Valkron, turning to Argath. 'Isn't it enough for you?'

'I'm not the one controlling him,' said the Blood Judge dismissively. 'He is but a pawn in the game. I have no use for him.'

Valkron stared at him, and then looked up. In the whirling mass of gas overhead he was sure he had seen something distort the gas - something like a soul of a person.

Emeth hit the ground with the end of his staff. Valkron had to run again before the wizard's Lord of Vermillion hit him. Now he was too far from Argath to take a quick blow - unless he threw his scythe.

Suddenly Nocturne and Iruna sped past him. The hunter skidded to a stop and fired his glowing arrow at one of the glass orbs flanking the portal. There was a loud ping and the arrow stuck in the glass.

Iruna threw her shield at it. It scythed through the air and hit the orb Nocturne had fired at. There was an awful cracking sound.

Valkron realised that both of them were trying to destroy the portal. But Argath must have realised the same thing as well. He turned and plunged his sword into the earth. Two deep chasms opened up and ran along the ground towards where the two were.

The crusader turned around and plunged her sword into the ground. A white cross materialised in the air above her and slammed down, its tip ending where Argath stood. The holy magic forced him down and stopped the two chasms from reaching them.

Meanwhile Amaru was trying to stop Emeth. The wizard was now fiercely battling him, but it was difficult to stop a blacksmith who knew how to dodge a wizard's spells, and equally difficult to stop a wizard who could cast spells so quickly.

Nocturne fired two arrows at the orb. There was another cracking sound. Iruna sent a white cross at it and it began to crumble.

'Come on, Nocturne!' shouted Iruna. They were standing on either side of the orb they were attacking, and it towered twenty feet above them.

Nocturne nodded once and aimed another glowing arrow. He concentrated, putting in all his strength into charging it. Then he fired,

The glass orb shattered. The hunter whooped, but it was only for a second or two. The next minute a long, thin clawed hand of purple gas shot out from the portal and knocked him off his feet. Iruna blocked another blow from it with her shield, but the gas corroded a long groove right across the metal.

Valkron swore. The emperor's soul in the portal was certainly not going to let them attack the other one now. He quickly leapt forward and ran for it, but Argath blocked his way.

'Not so fast, Valkron!' he laughed, as their weapons met with a mighty crash.

Valkron fought furiously, trying to find an opening to get the Blood Judge; anywhere would do, even a small one. But the Judge was not a knight for nothing. He parried and blocked every difficult blow Valkron dealt him, and executed even more difficult ones that the ordinary knight was finding hard to figure out. He only managed to block those in the last minute.

Argath brought his sword down. Valkron swung his scythe up. The blades met, and bit into each other as both knights tried to force each other to give.

'You have good strength,' said Argath. Valkron gritted his teeth. He had no time to talk. The man moved as if everything was so easy and he seemed to be pressing down with absolutely no effort. On the other hand, it was taking Valkron every bit of strength he had to keep Argath from crushing him under the serrated edge of his black sword.

Suddenly something hit Argath from behind. The Blood Judge stumbled and nearly lost his footing as Valkron took a swipe at him, but he moved fast. Valkron found himself facing Argath several feet away, and Iruna had just caught her shield.

'Valkron! Look out!'

The knight ducked. Fire zipped over his head. He felt the intense heat pass over him and ruffle his hair as it did.

'Emeth, you idiot!' he shouted, not caring that the wizard was deaf to them. 'Can't you see it's us?'

Emeth fired another powerful bolt at him, narrowly missing Valkron. Just then Amaru whacked him across the back of the head. Hard.

The knight turned to find Argath almost upon him. Cursing himself for his lapse in concentration he swung his scythe back up and knocked the sword away. Argath coolly brought the sword at him again, and Valkron defended himself quickly.

Nocturne fitted another arrow into his bow and aimed at the second orb.

'Nocturne! NO!'

The clawed hand hit the hunter in the chest and threw him into the wall. A long, torturing scream of anger came from the portal, and something that looked horribly like a thin, bald man threw itself forward, out of the portal. It seemed to be chained to the gas within the portal by its waist, but its overly long, bone thin arms and equally skeletal structure made Iruna recoil. It opened its mouth and screamed again, twisting itself as if trying to break the bonds that held it back.

Iruna had no choice but to back down. As Argath attacked Valkron again she turned on him as well, swinging her sword around towards his back. Apart from a glance to the back he did not show any sign that he had noticed her...until he swung his sword up and deflected Valkron's lunge before swinging it over his shoulder and blocking Iruna's swipe at him.

And so the three warriors danced across the smooth stone floor before the portal, whirling and twisting as they tried to find an opening into their opponents' defences.

Valkron was getting tired. Argath's was heavy, and the Blood Judge obviously knew that, since he kept forcing down his whole weight every time their weapons hit. His arms were getting tired, but he knew if he rested just for one minute he would be dead. Even Iruna was finding it difficult to score a hit on the Judge.

Suddenly there was a rumble overhead. Valkron looked up into the face of a mass of red clouds swirling overhead. He immediately knew what was about to happen, but by now he was far too tired to run. All he felt he could do was keep on fighting. In his state Emeth could not recover.

But when meteors rained down onto them it was Argath they hit. Valkron had to back off, his arm shielding his face from the intense burning fire of the meteors. He looked back to see Emeth focusing all his power...

...onto Argath.

And his eyes were still glowing.

From behind the wizard Valkron saw Amaru give a thumbs up. He felt relieved, and nodded his thanks before turning back to the Blood Judge just as the storm finished.

'I see,' said Argath, straightening up. Smoke rose from him. 'So he's turned his anger against me. One of my weapons being used on me at this very moment.'

He looked at Valkron. 'The game's over. The spell is now above Glast Heim. You're too late.'

'What?' said Valkron, before the floor shook beneath him. The portal began to glow outwards with its sickening purple, and the soul within it twisted and screamed for freedom.

Emeth summoned his magic once again. A magic circle appeared around the orb. However, Argath pointed his sword at him and the wizard was flung off his feet, thus interrupting his spell.

Valkron and Iruna charged. Argath hit their weapons in one hard blow. Iruna stumbled backwards while Valkron felt the impact surge up his arm. The gonging headache that followed a few seconds later sent him reeling.

He looked up at the portal groggily. Argath was standing over him, his bleeding hair dripping everywhere. As Valkron tried to focus the man grinned.

'Time to say farewell,' he said softly, 'warrior of the world.'

He raised his sword.

---

Amaru had been watching all along. The wizard had regained consciousness but was still too dazed to get up and attack once again. Nocturne was struggling to get up, clutching at his ribs. Iruna was trying to decide if she should attack Argath and stop him from killing Valkron.

The blacksmith wished he could do something.

He grasped his hammer in fear. In one moment an image of Khan flashed through his mind, and he knew he had to do something. Anything.

But what?

Amaru got to his feet, bringing up his hammer as well. He had no other choice. Even if they had to die trying...he would still do it. It was better than not doing anything, anyway.

He tightened his grasp on the handle of his hammer. Golden light began to glow from his hands, and spread out through the hammer until it was glowing brightly. He forced all the energy he could muster into it until the wood was vibrating under his hands.

Amaru took a deep breath, raising the hammer over his head. He willed it to create the most powerful effect and then swung it down.

The hammer crashed into the ground, sending a powerful tremor everywhere. It was what caused Argath to hesitate, as the ground shook under him and he nearly lost his balance. It was what caused great pieces of rock to fall from the ceiling onto the ground, smashing the pedestal where the broken orb had stood. But pieces of rock that headed straight for the other orb shattered when they were a foot above the orb, as if it was protected by an invisible shield.

Amaru frowned at this. But the spell was not over. There was a reason why he had mastered Hammerfall. It was a pretty good skill...if anyone knew its true purpose and what it could be used for.

The massive quake soon passed. Silence descended onto the chamber. Argath was just about to plunge his sword into the helpless knight at his feet when the second and last part of the technique came into play.

Massive ripples expanded through the air as an explosion rocked the chamber. The sound grew louder and louder, until one ring that spread out seemed to shatter the air, and there was a loud boom.

It was with this sound that the second orb shattered.

'No!' screamed Argath, but it was too late. The ring holding the portal cracked and then fell apart, smashing into pieces as it hit the floor. The soul within it screamed before a massive piece of rock was sucked right into it and crushed whatever it was in there. Seconds later the ring had folded in.

Valkron saw his chance. In one swift movement he had leapt up from the ground and hit Argath's sword away. The Blood Judge turned to him. The knight did not even give him a chance to react. In one swift movement it was over for the undead knight.

As something bounced across the floor before disintegrating into nothing, Valkron turned around. 'RUN!'

The party did not need to be told twice. They broke to their heels and ran straight for the doorway. Valkron knocked Emeth across the back of his head; the wizard came to his senses and ran as well. As the ceiling collapsed they disappeared through the door.

Behind them the portal crashed down, shattering into hundreds of pieces.

---

Eni watched Samaroh as the priest tried to heal Khan. It had not been easy. She had spent the last hour reviving him, and he still needed potions to help him regain his energy.

She still felt worried about him. Although he looked tired he had refused to rest until he had at least healed half of Khan's injuries...and that was not happening very quickly now. Every now and then he needed to take a break and relax, before he could begin healing again.

'Look, I know this is a particularly trying time for you,' said Eni, when Samaroh stopped again, 'but just stop it. Here, Emeth threw this to me before they went and told me to give it to you.'

She handed it to him, a large purple fruit the size of an orange. He took it from her gratefully and bit into it. The alchemist watched him worriedly as he ate, staring at nothing but empty air.

After a while he resumed healing. Even his most basic healing spell was hard to cast, for him.

Eni was about to offer him her help when she felt the ground quake beneath her. Unlike the few quakings that had taken place earlier this one did not stop. She got to her feet, worried, when she saw the five who had gone on ahead come running back.

'Eni! Get out of here!' shouted Valkron over the rumbling of the earthquake. 'This place doesn't exist anymore! Get out!'

Samaroh got to his feet and heaved Khan over his shoulders. As Eni turned he concentrated and swept his arm around in an arc. White light engulfed everyone for a few moments and suddenly they were running much faster than before.

'Come on,' he said, casting Increase Agility on himself.

The group soon came together as they ran out of the three chambers they had been fighting in. They came upon the labyrinth...but it was no more a labyrinth. It was just a large underground cavern with many passages leading away from it.

'That way!' called out Iruna over their heads. They saw where she was pointing - one passage had light shining along it. They hurtled headlong through it, Samaroh renewing his spell as he passed the others.

Behind them, almost at their heels, the passage collapsed, folding in on itself. It looked as if it was being crushed as they passed sections of it.

Valkron looked back over his shoulder. The passage would fall in on them if they did not run faster. With renewed vigour he forced himself to keep running and knew Iruna was doing the same. Both of them had the hardest time keeping up as they wore the heaviest armour of the lot.

They came out into the fourth floor of the culverts. Valkron did not remember seeing the passage they had just run out of, but he couldn't care less. The matter now was running, not looking around.

As they ran up the stairs to the third floor monsters sprang out at them snarling. Massive wraiths swooped down on them, baring their great mouths as they descended on the group. Samaroh's white magic erupted, lighting up the entire passageway. As wraiths screamed and flew out of the way to return to the relative safety of the darkness the party rounded a corner.

Valkron swore at the masses of monsters. 'Keep behind me!' he shouted, running forward.

Fire blazed, before Valkron broke through them with his blazing scythe. Everyone ran through without hesitation. They made it through the second and first floors before coming out into the courtyard of the capital.

Valkron sprang for the gates as soon as he saw them. Samaroh cast Increase Agility once again. Their surroundings became a blur as they sped past.

There was a mighty explosion that sent them stumbling and then tripping over their feet as the ground shook. Valkron rolled over just in time to see the ground they had been on erupt outwards in a fountain of earth and stone. The dirt rocketed sky high, but it wasn't over. The edges of the hole it had created began to crumble, and then break away. They stared as it widened, spreading towards them, revealing a yawning void down below.

Valkron got to his feet, still staring at it. 'What are you all doing?' he said, his voice echoing through the night air. 'Get going!'

With last glances at the hole the party began running again. The gates were still open. It was their last chance. They ignored the monsters rushing out of their hiding places, charging straight towards them. The earlier they were out of the city the earlier they would be far away from the creatures.

There was an awful howling through the city. The hole was swallowing up monsters, sucking them in like a monstrous, greedy whirlpool. Valkron tried not to think of it and forced his legs to run. There was no time to take a breath, no time to stop, no time to help the others. They had to run, and run they did.

There were piles of debris in the way. Amaru had taken Khan from Samaroh and was running ahead of everyone else now, leaping over the piles of rubble like a mountain goat. Behind him were Nocturne and Eni, and then Samaroh and Emeth, and then Valkron and Iruna.

The gates seemed a long way off. Valkron could feel his head spinning as he ran. His legs were screaming for oxygen, but there was no way he could stop and rest. The hole was right at his heels - he could feel the draught of air it created as it sucked down everything that had the misfortune to be around it. It was close enough to keep Valkron running but fortunately for him it was not close enough to suck him down.

But he could feel it, all the same - the emptiness behind him, the gaping hole as it pulled everything in and became bigger and bigger. If they got to the gates he knew it would not go over them - as it was, even the city of Glast Heim had to comply with the rules of the world. None of anything related to it could extend past its boundaries. besides, the ground was collapsing because the maze that had been built underneath it was disappearing to the time it belonged. Glast Heim would replace the floor with the normal culverts, but first they had to get out.

This was one of those times when he hated himself for being so calm inside his mind.

Amaru had reached the gates and had literally thrown himself out between them. Nocturne reached them as well and helped his sister through them. Minutes later Samaroh leapt through them like a cat on hot bricks, and Emeth followed.

'Come on, Valkron!' shouted Iruna. 'You can just make it!'

Valkron tried to believe he could. He had run this hard before, dozens of times. Hadn't he lived through them every time he had? he could do it this time, there would be no doubt about it, this was nothing compared to what he had been through...his legs were on fire, his mind was in hell, his body was beginning to weaken, he definitely wasn't going to make it.

'VALKRON!' screamed Iruna. She was through. Her hand was stretched out for his. He willed himself, leapt forward to take it...

...and missed.

Iruna's scream began to fade as he fell, his eyes wide open. He hadn't made it. He was going down into the void, into the past where he would see the Old Empire again--

And then a hand caught his wrist.

'Not so fast, sir!'

Valkron looked up. He was dangling over the edge of the hole. As he had estimated it had not gone past the gates of Glast Heim, but it was pulling him in. He could feel his grip starting to loosen as it sucked him in, grasping for him--

Another hand grabbed the hand that was holding his. 'Pull! Someone help us!'

Valkron looked up...

...into the eyes of Sagna and Edell.

Emeth appeared and grabbed the younger knight's waist. Iruna got hold of Edell. Together, slowly but surely they overcame the great force of the void and hauled Valkron out of it. He scrambled up as soon he was out of it and threw himself through the gates, panting for the air he had needed the most. His legs were so weak he could barely stand.

Another explosion rocked the ground. Valkron looked up and saw great pieces of rock shoot into the air until they were almost small bits. Then they fell, getting larger and larger until he could see the fire blazing around them. They were too large to melt in the heat caused by the friction of the air around them.

And they were heading straight for the party.

They were still staring when Samaroh skidded sideways in front of them. He made several gestures, clutching his book as well, and then flung his hand out just as they neared them.

The air around them vibrated. The rocks shattered when they were just three feet away from the stunned, breathless party. If it hadn't been for Samaroh's Kyrie Eleison they would have been crushed or burned to ashes by now.

Silence settled by degrees on them. Valkron was still sprawled on the ground where he was. Samaroh had fallen to his knees, staring upwards. All of them were, in fact, staring at the city of Glast Heim. Its innocent facade had changed their lives forever.

Valkron only came back to his senses when two gloved hands were offered to him. he shook his head and refocused. Emeth and Iruna were holding their hands out to him, grinning broadly. Iruna looked particularly beautiful, with her blindfold around her neck and her pale brown eyes shining with relief.

The knight grabbed hold of both hands and together they pulled him to his feet before helping up Samaroh. Valkron still felt weak, but he knew it was all right now. he could stop and rest. There was no need to worry about anything anymore.

It was finally over.

He turned. Sagna and Edell were talking in low voices, but they immediately broke off when they saw the knight head towards them, limping slightly.

'I didn't expect both of you to come here,' he said.

'We came here of our own will,' explained Edell. 'To look for you, and give you help when you needed it.'

'Well, you certainly came at the right time,' remarked Valkron, suddenly feeling a lot lighter. The three of them laughed.

'When everything's been restored,' he said, 'I'm going to commend you to the head of the Chivalry. Don't look like that - you deserve it. Admit it. Don't look so modest, Sagna. You know you wanted to be looked up to and respected.'

'Well...we didn't come here for that, sir,' said Sagna sheepishly. 'We came here because...well, because it's you, sir.'

That's the sort of thing no other knight's ever going to get, said a voice in his head. Admit it - you wanted it too.

Valkron chuckled. 'All right then. But you're still getting a commendation from me. That's final.'

'Look!' said Eni excitedly, jumping up and down as she pointed up at the sky. 'Look at the spell!'

Everyone looked up. The spell, ghastly as it was, was beginning to disintegrate. As they watched it disappeared, and soon white drops of light began to make their way back down to earth - the souls of the people who had been killed in the search for power and glory.

At the same time the sky above them began to brighten. The dark clouds above began to disappear, only leaving a few puffy ones that turned white. The sky turned from black, and then to grey and then to blue. In a few minutes sunlight poured down onto the watching party and they lifted their faces to the sunlight, closing their eyes as they felt the heat of summer return to the world.

Around them the snow disappeared. Not melted, but disappeared. It was replaced by greenery around them. Creepers appeared around the gates of Glast Heim, the trees gained back their beautiful crowns and grass grew back everywhere.

Within minutes birds were flying overhead, trilling with joy at the return of summer. Little animals leapt out of the bushes and began to squirm or hop around with joy. Lunatics surrounded Eni's pet, which jumped around with them before sitting down to wash its ears. The Chivalry pecos honked with delight at the warmth. All around the forest came back to life, soon filled with everyday sounds of animals. No longer would the trees whistle with the howling wind, no longer would their branches be laden with cold, white snow. No longer would the cities be empty and deserted, only occupied with the cries of the innocent, no longer would the world be shrouded in darkness.

It was the best thing the Raulus party could ever ask for.

They stood there for a long time, faces turned to the sun and sky, smiles spread. All enmity, all conflicts were forgotten. They had fought through everything, and they had survived.

Their friendship would be the beginning of many things to come. But as of now, they didn't know that.

Valkron opened his eyes and looked around at them. They came to their senses and looked back at him. His heart warmed at the sight of their relieved, happy faces. They were his friends now.

'Let's go home,' he said.