Chapter 21
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Notes: There are several.
Subtitle for this chapter: The Big Finish
Listen up. Bullfrog owns Dungeon Keeper. I own Dungeon Secrets. I also own the weirdy concepts in here like the Darknesses and whatnot. Don't steal, unless it's from Bullfrog, in which case steal, but be nice about it and don't make profit. If you like my fic and want to archive it just ask and I'll probably say yes.
This story contains slash (male/male relationships)! If this bothers you, just leave now, don't waste your time and mine flaming me about it.
For a glossary of terms and concepts, as well as a map of this Realm, go to this address: http://dragonnest.freeservers.com/fics/dungeonviewshelp.html (Note: This page has recently been added to, including several polls. Please go vote and let me know your opinion.)
Pronunciation Key:
Kaelay: [KAY-lay]
Seiat: [SAY-aht]
Tarkasas: [Tar-KAH-sas]
Ramasha: [Ra-MAH-sha]
Mortagui: [Mor-tah-GUY]
Evain: [Eh-VAIN]
Kethian: [KEH-thee-un]
Zannos: [ZAHN-nos]
I think that's all, so on with the fic!
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Kaelay
Mortagui's laughter echoes in my mind as I watch Evain's forces slowly but surely falling back.
Dammit! This can't be happening. Evain is stronger than this. His forces cannot be subverted by such a pathetic Keeper as Mortagui.
Mortagui's forces have managed to back Evain's over the river and into his dungeon, where the Tentacles no longer give Evain the advantage. Struggling, his forces fall back, pace by pace, down the long corridor leading to the dungeon proper.
In the nebulous otherspace of my consciousness, I caress Horny's medallion. I could use it know. I could use it, and save them all. But Horny is far too destructive for a mere diversion. In his rage, he might very well slaughter the remainder of Evain's forces as well as Mortagui's. I don't even want to think of what he would do to the Library. That's the problem with Horny; he's a loose cannon.
But things are going badly. We can't sustain this fight much longer. I can feel Evain's energy draining away. Soon he will have no choice but to retreat his Heart to replenish himself. Without his presence, his forces will falter under the attack, and be destroyed.
Is there no option? It can't end like this; in one battle over something so trivial. Is there nothing I can do?
No. There is one thing. I've been trying to avoid thinking about it, but it may be our only chance to win this battle.
I retreat further back into the corridor to where Evain hovers, nursing his wound. I can't believe I'm actually thinking of doing this.
Evain! I hiss.
He turns to me, and I can tell that he is tired. This fight has taken more out of him than he bargained for. And there's a strange, haunted look in his eyes, doubtless from the abduction of his energy.
Evain... I hesitate. Do I really want to do this?
Do you trust me?
For a moment I think he has spoken again, but no. It is only my memory, bringing back his words to me. Do I trust him?
Yes.
Evain, you have to take some of my energy. You have troops to support. It is more necessary for you to have it than for me.
He stares at me incredulously. Take your energy? But... you would do that? For me?
Evain, we must win this battle. I try to impress upon him the seriousness of the situation, and I think I get through. Whoever wins this battle will most likely win the war. We can't afford to lose now, and you need this energy. It's a small price to pay. Now hurry before I lose my nerve!
Evain nods, and reaches towards me. When our energies contact, I focus on sending as much of my own life-force into him as I can.
The feeling is indescribable. It is not pleasureful experience of an energy share, where both Keepers take energy from each other, replacing it with their own. This, in effect, is me taking all of Evain's pain into myself.
I gasp as the life flows out of me like blood from a wound. The sensation is dizzying, like the removal of mana from my Heart. For a moment I have the irrational fear that Mortagui has somehow interfered and it is happening again, but I reign in control of my senses and grit my teeth.
Just when I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps this is a mistake, the pain stops. Evain, at full health once more, steps back and looks at me gratefully. Thank you Kaelay, he says sincerely.
I nod, still catching my breath. Now go support your troops!
He bows his head, an acknowledgement of my superiority, which he hasn't recognized since almost the beginning.
As he moves back into the fight, I smile, still hanging back. I feel listless, drained. But Evain is freshened, and that is all that matters.
And yet, as I look on in horror, it doesn't seem to be enough! Mortagui's forces still press forward, full of wild ferocity. I glance up at Mortagui, only to find him completely lost in the throes of battle.
And then suddenly, he pauses. The battle stops, as his creatures back away, confused by their Master's sudden halt. I, too, am unsure of what is happening.
Until a spasm passes through Mortagui, causing him to scream in pain.
They must have done it! Ramasha must be using the spell! I crow gleefully, and Evain takes the hint. Pressing forward, his troops hack into the line of Mortagui's warriors. The green creatures do not put up much of a fight, driven to desperation and confusion by Mortagui's pain. For a moment, it looks as though it will simply be a slaughter.
And then, just as abruptly as it started, Mortagui's howling stops. The tableu freezes once more. The only sounds are the rushing of the bloody stream, and Mortagui's haggard panting.
Then the green Keeper howls once again, this time in rage, and flies off towards his Heart.
His minions, unsure of what to do, desperately try to fend off Evain's newly-encouraged forces. They are disorganized, however, now that Mortagui has left them. This battle shouldn't take much longer.
I must see it through to the end. I only hope Tarkasas and Ramasha can last that long.
Seiat
"I'm an Imp. And I have skin."
The Angel looks at me incredulously for a moment. "Would that work?" he mumbles to himself.
Abruptly, he crouches down onto the floor, spreading out the spellscroll that he used to summon the strange creature that was attacking Mortagui's Heart. He mutters to himself out loud as he inspects it. I strain my ears to catch his words.
"-Simple enough. All I would have to do would be redesignate the vessel. But would it work with a live Imp? It's still Imp skin, capable of containing mana. It already contains mana. He has Kaelay's mana in his veins. The coating that we need! In fact, a live coating might actually even help contain the green energy..."
He trails off and looks up at me. "This will probably hurt you," he warns.
I nod. "Do it anyway." It's all I deserve after what I did to Tarkasas.
He copies my motion, standing up once more with the scroll. Frowning at it, he begins to read the words.
Once again I feel the comforting upswelling of my Mistress's mana, threading its way through the putrid green magic gracefully, like a snake through water. It forms a hovering orb, pulsing in the familiar rhythm that echoes inside of me.
I feel a strange twinge as an invisble strand of something touches me, whispering around my skin, as though I'm wearing some fabric so thin that it cannot be seen. I can feel the way it trails off, connected to Keeper's mana.
Then the demon bug forms. It clacks its jaws as it appears, its eyes full of hunger. Strange, that this beast can feel a hunger, for I can tell through the bond that it is not truly alive; it is simply an animated shell.
But hungry it must be, for as soon as the spell releases it it dives for Mortagui's Heart. It plunges its pincers voraciously into the membrane, draining the mana more quickly than anything I've ever seen.
My first warning is a strange twinge in my stomach. I suddenly find myself on my knees, though I can't remember falling.
The pain is strange. It is not hot, nor piercing. It feels instead like a sickness, only concentrated and flowing. For the first time in my life I feel the urge to vomit.
But the spell is working. Even as I watch, Mortagui's Heart becomes dull and sluggish, and begins to shrink.
'Almost there,' I console myself. 'Just a little bit more and you will be released from this cursed spell.'
The Heart dwindles, getting smaller, and smaller. Surely it is hanging on by no more than a thread now! It must be close. It has to be! I don't think I can take the pain much longer.
And then, horribly, unbelievably, a presence looms above us. I hear Ramasha gasp, and a voice like lightning pierces my brain, sending the pain over the edge.
YOU DARE DEFY ME!
I shudder, feeling the horrible presence turn to me. It is weakened. I can feel that in the energy. But the mind itself is still there, like an acid in my brain.
No more.
The voice is a wretchedly vile whisper. I feel a tendril of power reaching out towards me, and the strange sickness in my stomach comes to life, buzzing like a hundred angry insects inside of me. I moan, collapsing onto the floor.
Then suddenly, a blinding light and a great explosion of fiery pain from within me!
And then nothing.
Tarkasas
I manage to get halfway through the minefield before collapsing. Even with the antidote, I can feel how the poison has weakened me. It's hard to move.
But that hardly matters. A Dark Elf on guard duty sees me, and quickly calls for help. Within moments I feel myself lifted by unseen hands, and half-dragged, half-carried through the chambers of our dungeon.
My vision blacks out at some point during the journey, though I am still conscious. My other senses compensate, and I hear the rasping of scales against my armor and against the floor, and the rattling of bones.
A Dragon or Salamander, or possibly even a Demon Spawn, and a Skeleton then. Not that it makes any difference.
We finally reach the Lair, and they deposit me on my cot. One of them - the reptilian one, I think - has enough compassion to cover me with the blanket before leaving.
Slowly my prone position allows my vision to swim back into focus. I find myself staring at Ramasha's bed, the skull pattern so familiar I've almost memorized it by now. Gods. Is he okay?
Another spasm of pain hits me, but this time it is countered by the magic of the Lair to the point where it is just about bearable.
"Tarkasas?"
Who in the Underrealm- Why is someone here?
"Yes?" It is all I can manage at the moment. Why can't I see this creature? He must be standing behind me. Damn this weakness! I can't even move to find out who it is.
"Lie still, Knight," the voice commands. It is deep and confident. And familiar. I have heard this voice before. I know this person...
"It's Jensor. Don't worry Tarkasas, I'm here to heal you."
Ah yes. Jensor. And healing. Thank the Gods.
"Jensor..." I gasp out, "poison!"
"So I see," comes the voice, still from behind me. I feel two strong but gentle hands come to rest on my shoulders, gently turning me to lie on my back. Blinking, I find myself looking up into Jensor's famililar face, as I have after dozens of battles.
I grin in spite of myself. What a foolish life this is. Living only for the purpose of avoiding death. How we delude ourselves with thoughts of granduer. The only reason worth living-
"Breathe deeply now. We need to help the mana enter your body."
The one, the only reason to put up with existance-
"That's it. Now, on three, I'm going to give your immune system a little jumpstart. This shouldn't hurt, but it may shock you a little."
The only reason-
"There. Sorry about that. You should be fine now, with a little rest."
The only reason to live is-"
"I'll leave you to it." His footsteps echo in the empty room as he exits the Lair.
"Love," I gasp.
Ramasha
I stare in shock at the blackened floor where Seiat stood just a moment ago. There is a pain there, just below the surface. Once I recover from the shock I'm sure I will feel it. Odd. I never really liked the Imp much anyway.
Ah, so Ramasha, comes the familiar dreaded voice. We meet again.
I look up at the disembodied voice. Dammit! We were so close! Just a few seconds more and we would have won! We were almost there!
Ingenious, wasn't it? I follow his gaze back to the scorch mark. You see, the mana that he had absorbed, courtesy of you of course, was still mine. Once I connected with it, I was able to use activate a lightning spell with it, effectively electrocuting him from the inside. Clever, right? I can hear the malicious glee in his voice. And why not. He has won, after all.
And now, Ramasha my pet, don't you think it's time you came back to me? I've been so lonely without you.
I look back up at him and feel my misery come back full force. All this for nothing. All the effort, the time spent trying to make things work with Tarkasas. All for nothing!
Of course, it's not like you have to be willing. I've taken you before and I can take you again. He reaches out a tendril of energy to touch my face, and I step back unconsciouly, revolted.
No. And I never got to tell Tarkasas that I love him.
Although I must admit, you did come very close to destroying me. Something odd about the situation niggles at the back of my mind, but I can't quite grasp it. Mortagui, oblivious to this, looks over at the pitiful thing that is left of his Heart. Of course, now that Seiat has been destroyed, all the released mana will come back. But that takes time.
But I know you Ramasha. You don't have it in you to kill me. You're far too weak.
Something... what is it?
That's what I always liked about you Ramasha. No matter what, you always came back to me in the end. You always took what I gave you. You didn't know how to do anything else.
Why is he prattling on so long? Why doesn't he just do something? Unless-
That's it!
A smile creeps across my face involuntarily. "Is that so, Mortagui?" I ask, drawing my sword.
What are you doing? he asks indignantly, but I hear a faint twinge of worry in his tone.
I walk calmly over to what's left of the Heart before looking up at him again. "You know what I think?" I ask. "I think you're bluffing. I think the only reason that you haven't done anything to me yet is because you can't. Between the drain on your Heart and that last lightning spell to fry the Imp, your mana's all used up. You're powerless."
I smile, and lift the sword in both hands, holding it over his Heart.
No, Ramasha, don't! he yells, losing his composure. I can almost hear him searching vainly for a way to get me to stop. I begin to drop the sword
Kethian! he says finally, and against my better judgement, I halt the downward movement of the blade. "What about him?" I ask suspicously.
Sensing that he has momentarily regained the upper hand, Mortagui's tone becomes wheedling. I know where the Phoenixdown is, you know. I could bring him back for you if you want me to.
Bring back Kethian? Is that really possible? "No. You're lying."
Oh, I most certainly am not, my dear Angel. Come now. You're not strong enough to do something like this on your own. You need someone to back you up. With me and with Kethian, you would have that.
He's right. I am weak. Maybe... Maybe I should...
I begin to lower my sword.
"You are strong Ramasha! You're one of the strongest people I know."
I hear the voice as clearly as if Tarkasas were right next to me. He told me that. That day on the bridge. He thinks I'm strong.
I raise the sword once again. "No Mortagui. Not this time. This is for Sepia and Pestilus. And Jarl too. And the hundreds of others who you doomed to a similar fate. This is for what you did to Kethian, and what I know you planned to do to Tarkasas. But most of all Mortagui-" and now I finally look up at him, allowing all the hatred I have for him to show on my face "-most of all, this is for me!"
And I plunge the sword deep into his Heart.
Oh God, that was hideous. Take me back.
or
Oh God, that was hideous. Let me complain to the author.