The Marshes were hard on them. The water that surrounded them poisoned them on impact, and they had to tread carefully. Luckily they had been stocked up on Poison Be Gone leaves, or else they'd wouldn't have made it.
The familiars were viscous to them. It was as though they hadn't seen a human in ages, and were itching to fight. Some fights had become overwhelming, and their load of Phoenix Feathers was running dry. Even with as much experience as they had been gaining throughout their journey, each defeat would bring their confidence down further than the last one.
Not saying that they were quitting. Though their spirits were low, they kept treading on, helping one another if they had to, and made sure that no one got surprised by a familiar.
"Is anyone else getting a headache from the smog?" Harmony asked, rubbing her forehead. "Or is that just me? Because my brain feels like how this place looks right now, and I can't tell if I'm seeing the future or if I'm having deja vu."
"I think you're just being whiny." Swaine muttered, earning a punch in the shoulder from her. "Why do you keep on doing that?"
"Because you're annoying." She grumbled. "Always bugging me."
"Do you two mind?" Esther snapped a little. Even she was getting effected by the Marshes. "You're both bugging me."
"Come on, you guys!" Oliver told them, trying to keep their spirits up. "We can't start fighting now! We have to stick together! Otherwise, we won't be able to defeat Shadar!" Harmony crossed her arms, Swaine rubbed the back of his neck, and Esther nodded. They knew that they couldn't be fighting, but everyone was on edge, and really nervous for the upcoming fight that they were heading into.
Little did they know, a fight was closer than they knew, and they were not prepared for what was to come.
As they walked across the path, they found themselves on more a bridge that led to a large platform. The small swampy puddles had become a vast ocean that formed a whirlpool surrounding the platform. This was a place for a battle, no questions asked about it.
"Well, I've seen some grim old places in my time, but this here takes the blooming biscuit!" Drippy remarked, but Oliver paid no attention.
"I can feel him. He's not far now..." He told them, Harmony putting her hand on his shoulder protectively. "Shadar..." Suddenly, a ridiculous, dark laughter filled their ears, surrounding them with the sound of it, and a golden orb flew towards them, wobbling out of control til it flew up into the hand of a hideous, nightmarish creature. It looked like a massive human heart, with purplish vein like things surrounding it and devilish horns atop its head, a tree in one hand and a glowing purple orb in the other.
"Heh heh heh!" He cackled down at them. "How long have I waited for you?" He taunted them as they prepared for the battle.
"Shadar's cackling sidekick, I presume?" Swaine growled, pulling out his gun.
"Heh heh heh! How observant of you!" The creature teased. "Yes! I am Vileheart! Lord Shadar is indeed my master! And it was he who entrusted me with this..."
"The Soulsnare!" Harmony gasped when she saw the orb. That small ball of glass held the truth inside of it for Oliver.
"The Soulsnare!" Oliver exclaimed. "Alicia is in there!" Drippy jumped up.
"That's right, Ollie-boy! And if we can just get her out of there-"
"Then my mom will come back!" Oliver finished for him.
"Heh heh heh!" Vileheart cackled again. "There speaks a boy who hungers for the truth!"
"Vileheart! Let Alicia go!" Oliver demanded fiercely, only making Vileheart laugh again.
"Are you sure you are ready?" This made Oliver doubt.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Vileheart chuckled again, but this time, it seemed more sinister.
"You'll see..." Then he dove at them, and they were thrown into battle.
Vileheart was as poisonous as the Marshes themselves. His Vile Breath showered them with poisonous gas that hurt them badly, and they were already low on provisions. Or he would do a Vile Driver move and hurt those closest to him, normally Swaine and Gunther. Gunther had too many close range attacks to stay far back enough for him not to be hurt by the Vile Driver, where Vileheart would throw himself onto the ground and harm whoever was in his path.
As they battled, Harmony found herself guarding the Soulsnare. She was afraid of Oliver learning the truth. He'd be heartbroken if he learned. She wished she would have told him ahead of time! She wished she had believed that he would be okay learning the truth!
Finally, with Esther passed out, Harmony limping to give her a Phoenix Feather, and Swaine barely able to stand, Oliver was able to shoot Vileheart with an Arrow of Light, and he went up in a ball of pure light magic, vanishing from the site to presumably never be seen again, the only thing remaining being the Soulsnare.
"You did it, Ollie-boy! Now we can set Alicia free!" Drippy exclaimed, jumping up and down wildly, Esther running over to him excitedly as soon as she could.
"Yes! And bring your mother back!" That was the only thing on Oliver's mind.
"Mom..." He whispered, hardly able to believe that it was finally happening.
"This is it, Oliver." Swaine told him, putting his hand on his shoulder. "Your big moment."
"Right!" Harmony watched, almost in slow motion, as Oliver ran to the Soulsnare, picking it up and looking into it as it grew brighter. "Huh?" It suddenly flashed, and Oliver fell over, unconscious. the Soulsnare now nowhere in sight.
"Oliver!" The four of them ran over to him, Harmony pulling him into her lap as the waves from the whirlpool grew more and more rough around them.
"Oliver, wake up!" She tried shaking him gently.
"What's wrong with him, then, eh?" Drippy asked, coming over.
"I-I don't know!" Harmony told him, trying to lift Oliver, but she wasn't quite strong enough. "We have to get him out of here! Queen Khulan should know what to do!"
"I've got him!" Swaine took Oliver into his arms, holding him so his head lay on Swaine's shoulder, his arms and legs flimsy as Swaine's sides. "Grab his wand and his bag! Let's get out of here!"