Chapter 23: Red Dawn

"Braddock..."

"Don't waste your breath, Minister." said Braddock. "Save your energy for the procedure."

Lyude leaned his head back and closed his eyes. This was it. The moment he had most dreaded and the moment that everything he knew and cared about could be destroyed was bearing down on him. He opened his eyes again and looked from his companions, to those who stood restrained on the sidelines. Matthias, Quentin, Urden, his father, and...Vallye! As he looked between father and daughter he realized that they didn't know each other, most likely preoccupied with what was happening now.

The machines slowly began to hum to life. Lyude felt electricity run along his arms and legs. He wondered vaguely how he was expected to reawaken the Organ of the Flame. His eyes flickered toward the ancient relic, silent and sleeping, but for how much longer?

The discomfort of his companions was beginning to become evident as the machines continued to come to life, he imagined they were getting similar sensations as him.

Professor Helix came up to him and began to put a small clamp on the middle, exposed fingertip of his left hand. She paused for a moment, and put the clamp on the exposed fingertip of his ring finger instead. Lyude glared at the insult. He glanced down at the golden wedding band on his finger beneath the clamp and fingered it with his thumb. He could only hope that he would be strong enough to continue to honor what that simple circle of metal meant.

Professor Helix walked down toward the organ of the flame with a smirk, another clamp attached to the one on his finger in her hand, which she then attached to one of the Organ's pipes. "First thing's first, Minister." she said with a cruel smile. She flipped a switch and Lyude forced back a gasp of pain. Closing his eyes and swallowing hard. It felt like white hot flames were coursing through his veins, his skin crawl and it was all he could do to keep himself from crying out.

Suddenly, what seemed like flames shot all along the wiring connecting the two clamps and centered itself in the organ, it flared to life, each key crying out in unison, such sorrow, such power. Lyude already felt drained, yet he also felt an odd sort of bond. He bowed his head wearily. The ender had rekindled the ancient fire. So far it seemed that Braddock's plan was working.

Helix removed the clamps and Braddock exchanged a smug smile with her as she flipped the next switch. All around him he could hear the shouts and protests of his companions. Then their screams in unison as his voice joined them. Lyude gritted his teeth and looked around at all who were around him. Lyude knew all too well what he was seeing coming from each of their bodies. The same lights had surrounded them before, when Malpercio had first been reborn.

Folon and Ayme were bathed in the same sort of light as he, having been empowered by the same End magnus that he had. Kalas's light was pristine white. Their cries were cut short as the light surrounding them seemed to be sucked from them and flew directly into Lyude's chest. Lyude cried out in pain and surprise. Another switch and he found himself being lifted, table and all, and being placed in the large cylindrical chamber that had been behind him previously. The clamps came loose, the straps severed from the inside, and he fell to his knees at the bottom of the chamber as the table he had been strapped to was lifted up and out of the chamber and it was sealed.

Lyude was overwhelmed by the power. He stood up shakily and gasped as Helix released a gas into the chamber, straps of light came out of his body and wrapped around him like a cocoon. All he could see was white, he no longer heard his companions, he no longer knew who they were. Despite the blinding light around him, he felt himself drifting into a blackness he couldn't describe.

Vallye was struggling against her bonds frantically. Lyude was no longer visible in the chamber and the light surrounding him was beginning to take shape, a shape that the party members that had once fought beside him seemed to recognize. They were all drooping in their restraints, but they continued to cry out to their friend, hoping their voices would reach him. Already realizing, perhaps, that the effort was futile.

The light continued to grow and arms and legs became visible, as well as a head. The form grew and grew, until it was easily one hundred feet tall. The light flashed once more, and there stood a creature that was both hideous and beautiful. What seemed like wings protruded from it's head, it's skin was unblemished and white, but it's eyes were coal black, with red in their center. Demonic markings spread all along it's torso and chest, It was clothed only in a belt and leggings that went down to it's lower thigh.

"So this is the Malpercio of old." breathed Braddock. "And he is mine to command."

The reborn Malpercio looked down upon the scene as the rest looked upon him with horror.

"Lyude!" Vallye cried. "It can't be!"

A massive hand moved and flexed. Mizuti shouted, "Lyude wake up and come back to his friends!"

The cries fell on deaf ears. Lyude was lost in dreams of the past. He was devoid of hope, he felt Malpercio eating away at his protective shell, trying to make them completely one. He felt a detached sort of ache and knew that Malpercio was already beginning to feed off of his soul. He didn't know why, but a memory from his exile to Diadem began to flood his mind.

He was sixteen, his sonic rifle was in need of repair and he was waiting for a part from Alfard. King Ladekahn himself was to instruct him in the sword and he was nervous. He'd never even picked up a sword. He was a gunner, not a swordsman. He stood silently under the Willow tree in the courtyard, waiting for the king to join him. He was not to wait long, the king was as a prompt man and strode out to meet him at the stroke of ten.

Ladekahn smiled kindly at the nervous youth as he handed Lyude a gilded rapier hilt first. Lyude took it hesitantly. Nervousness evident in his features. At this time, he still hadn't known the King very well. He had been kind, of course, but Lyude wasn't sure he liked the idea of crossing blades with an experienced swordsman. Still, he supposed this was only to be expected. Hopefuls for the knights had to cross swords for the first time sometime.

Ladekahn demonstrated a few motions for Lyude to imitate and the boy followed them to the letter. He had been puzzled when the kindly king began to laugh. "Did...I do something wrong?" he asked flushing slightly and feeling rather foolish.

As Lyude lay trapped within Malpercio's core, Braddock was striding across the room to the Organ of the Flame. "Sit at my keys, my service to hire..." he murmured with a smug smile and seated himself at the Organ.

Xelha turned her head away. She was quite certain that Braddock would not get what he bargained for here. She remembered what had happened the last time someone other than Lyude had come in contact with the Organ's flames. They had completely disintegrated, engulfed by the flames, releasing the most horrible of screams. She wished that she could reach her ears. She had no desire to hear what she was sure she would the moment Braddock touched the keys.

Braddock placed his hands over the keys, finding starting position and touched his fingers to them. An agonized chord exploded from the Organ's bowels and as Xelha had expected, she heard Braddock's screams as he was engulfed by the flames.

Braddock cried out in absolute horror, the sound of his scream was terrifying to hear. It was terror in it's purest form. Braddock's form blackened and cracked apart, his scream still echoing in the hall.

Gibari watched grimly as Braddock turned into blackened ash, swirling up into the Organ's pipe, his remains an eerie, shrieking cloud as they were swept into the Organ itself. Silence fell across the room as the flames retreated back into the organ and they viewed it in complete awe.

Just as fearsome as it's first chords, a terrible melody broke out of the organ mere seconds afterward. The cloud was ejected from the pipes and began to take shape. A monstrous sight was to greet them as the ash swept around a newly forming figure and a blackened creature reared back with a howl of triumph. "Alfard will be mine!" it cried and there was no mistaking who it was. The malformed, hideous creature with the ebony horns and blood red eyes was Braddock himself.

With a roar the reborn Malpercio leapt up through the roof, and a crimson hue, deep as blood began to flood the skies. Everything was happening just as the prophesy had foretold.

A sudden scuffle was heard and Kalas felt his restraints loosen around him. Urden and Quentin had taken advantage of the distraction to release the remaining seven who had revived Malpercio. He struggled a moment with his restraints and was soon free of them. Professor Helix was running toward the newly formed Braddock, triumph and a lust for power in her eyes. "Now we shall rule, my love!" she said with a cruel laugh, but it was cut short by a gasp and a strangled cry, the creature that was now Braddock stood with it's blackened claws in Helix's mid-section.

"You are no longer of any use to me, my dear." the creature growled it's tongue playing along its teeth and a soft purr of arrogant contentment in its voice.

Helix gasped as the claws retracted out of her and she fell to her knees. "I...I loved you..." she choked, her eyes wide with pain and shock. With a gurgle and a shudder, she fell and went still. Xelha looked down at her sadly. Her foolishness had been the end of her.

"You coward!" shouted Kalas angrily. "You'll pay for that, I don't care if she was twisted!"

Gibari, however, was looking up at Malpercio, who was high above them, awaiting orders, it seemed, or perhaps the end of the process that would give him a will of his own. "Lyude..." he muttered looking up at the reborn god high above them. "Are you still in there, kid?"

Lyude watched the scene unfold as his former self stood looking rather embarrassed waiting for King Ladekahn to inform him the reason for his laughter. "You're like a machine, Lyude." said the king kindly. "There is more to sword play than the proper strokes and movements. You must be fluid, your movements must be smooth and you must be in tune with your opponent as well as your own blade. Anyone can be defeated if confronted in the proper fashion. You must always play to your strengths, Lyude. Think less, and feel more.

Sword fighting is an art just as much as a science. Don't let yourself be caught too completely in the science, that's the easy part. One truly reaches their full potential when they are fighting for a cause in which they believe. No matter how hopeless a battle may seem, if a will is strong enough, it can overcome any obstacle.

Braddock stood battling the party members and a few others. An army of Imperial soldiers was beginning to flood into the fortress. Braddock's monstrous form was tough and difficult to damage. Kalas was beginning to wonder if he was made of flesh or steel. Kalas attacked him with a dream blade and he only flinched, flinging Kalas across the room with a swipe of a clawed hand.

Kalas struck the wall with a force, and heard something crack in the area of his ribs.

"Kalas!" cried Xelha.

"Look out, Xelha!" Kalas cried desperately. Xelha dodged an attack from Braddock with not a moment to spare, the floor shattered in front of her where the demon-like Braddock had struck out at her.

Jareth paused and looked up at Malpercio as Braddock cried out an order to destroy Azha, a hand outstretched and what seemed to be dark energy began to curl around Malpercio's fist.

Jareth cried out to him, hoping against hope that his voice would reach him. The reason that Braddock and Geldoblame had kept him alive for so many years. The last two lines of the prophesy.

"Flight of the Ender to bring forth the light,

Call on your wings to summon his might!"

Lyude jerked in the heart of Malpercio. He saw now...any opponent could be defeated if confronted in the proper fashion...a voice reached him within Malpercio and he curled up, feeling a power he didn't understand welling up within him. He felt an odd sensation as the cocoon protecting him seemed to center around his chest and back and he felt instinct taking over his judgement.

In Azha, the people scattered at the sight of the revived ancient god, which looked like it was preparing to send the blackened force into the nearest building. Malpercio raised his hand and the force in his palm flashed. The ancient god stopped suddenly, his eyes showed...was it confusion? He released a roar of pain and everyone turned sharply as the sphere of dark energy dissipated and a white light began to surround him, he clawed at his chest as if trying to keep something inside of it.

The ancient god's arms spread wide with shock when something seemed to shoot out of his chest and there was the Minister, powerful, flaming wings with gilded feathers surrounded him and he seemed to be bathed in flames from head to toe. He cried out with rage to the reddened sky and dove toward the cavern from which Malpercio had burst from, as the wicked god, now devoid of it's core, was consumed by flames and burst into nothingness.