Chapter 24: Darkness and Flame.

Lyude didn't know who he was anymore, the flames surrounded him, consumed him, they were all he knew. All he knew was Braddock and that he was to be destroyed. His wrath was terrible to behold as he swooped down, his eyes filled with fire, his features frightening and cold as a sword of flames formed in his hand and he slashed viciously at the creature that was now Braddock. The creature countered the blow, but only barely.

"It can't be!" the Demon Braddock cried. "The prophesy..."

"Is being fulfilled!" cried Jareth.

"Engulfed in flame, a lord shall rise,

fire red as blood shall fill the skies.

An emissary of vengeance divine,

wrath shall fall on the unworthy shrine.

Consumed by the fire an unwilling pawn,

cries out to the world in the blood painted dawn.

Sit at my keys, my service to hire,

ender shall rekindle the ancient fire.

Destruction may dawn on this pivotal night.

The soul of the Ender entwined in the fight.

Flight of the Ender to bring forth the light,

Call on your wings to summon his might!

Behold the power of Pyri himself! Your reign has ended before it begun and now he shall put an end to you!"

Lyude slashed again, his eyes full of only rage, nothing of the gentle young man they knew seemed to remain. A shot rang out and struck him in the back, but caused no harm whatsoever. The party turned to see a man with a black beard and a livid expression fire again. "Die you freak of nature!" shouted Gravar. Lyude rounded on him, standing straight, flames dancing around him as his crimson eyes burned. He measured the would be assassin and leapt forward, running him through with the flaming sword. Gravar gasped and a curdled scream escaped his throat as the sword drove deep and incinerated him with its flames, leaving a swirling cloud of ash in Lyude's wake.

Braddock cried out in dismay. "No! I hired the Organ into service! It's powers should belong to me!"

"Fool." came a deep voice from the flame encircled minister. "How could you ever hope to rule the power of the lord of Alfard himself? The power of the Organ belongs only to the Maestro. You are a shade, a shadow of the impurities of the past Maestros of old. Their souls rest within you, but within me is the power of the Organ in its purest form. Darkness shall never triumph over the light and you shall die this day."

"What...have they done to him?" whispered Vallye harshly.

"Pyri..." breathed Jareth.

Braddock scraped his claws against the ground, leaving deep scratches in the hard, stone floor. "We'll find out who the lord of Alfard is, here and now." he growled and leapt forward, his claws clashed with Lyude's blade and his left clawed hand slashed viciously at Lyude's ribs, the young minister, or what was left of him, leapt back and threw Braddock back away from him. Lyude's powerful wings took him back a few feet before he charged again.

Xelha knelt next to Kalas, holding him gently in her arms and using a healing magnus to ease the pain of his cracked ribs. She watched with fear and awe as the battle between fire and darkness ensued.

The two slashed viciously at each other, back and forth it went, the sheer burliness of Braddock pushing back the young, slight minister, yet it was with great difficulty that Braddock would force him backward.

Braddock's claws swiped against the minister's left arm, leaving deep scratches in his flesh, crimson blood dripping on the floor. Braddock roared at the triumph of damaging his enemy. "So you aren't invincible." he hissed with a grin.

Suddenly, the flame encircled minister kicked off the ground, his wings spread wide, and held his sword in front of him a magnus gleamed in his left hand and morphed into something nobody was able to see.

"Darkness of the moonless night,

blackness of the most hateful heart,

place ye now to rest with light's pure might,

passion of the purest child my core and strongest part.

May my soul be bright and my will soar,

to end your darkness forever more!

Ode of Purification! "

With this, the flames around him burned white, his sword a blinding beacon in front of him which he slashed and what seemed like hundreds of crystalline shards flew and struck Braddock as Lyude shot down and the sword buried itself deep within his blackened heart. His eyes grew wide and streams of light shot from his body where each shard had struck him before he exploded in a burst of pristine white mist of light that blinded the party.

Lyude rounded on the party, his eyes not recognizing them and his sword raised again for battle.

Lyude could only feel the rage white hot in his heart. The power of Pyri filling him and demanding his wrath be quenched. He stood over Xelha and Kalas his sword held over them threateningly.

"Lyude...!" said Xelha cringing beneath him and grasping Kalas tight.

"Come on, buddy, don't you recognize us! Snap out of it!" shouted Kalas.

"Lyude!" shouted Savyna. "Come to your senses!"

Gibari was racing forward to intervene. "C'mon, kid, snap out of it!"

Lyude heard the party's voices, but his consciousness could not penetrate the barrier that Pyri held within him, it was like his dream, surrounded in flames, his friends calling out to him, whenever he tried to reach them, he was thrown back. His wrath consumed him and he knew only destruction.

Vallye watched with horror as Lyude began to bring his blade down on former companions and raced forward. She would not lose her little brother. His purity could not be sullied in this way. Regardless of fear and uncertainty she called out to him, wrapped her arms around him, flames and all, even if it meant her destruction. Vallye was surprised to find that the flames were actually quite harmless and as Lyude staggered under her, she saw some form of sanity fill his eyes.

Lyude sobered and the flames surrounding him reentered his soul, his wings fading back to his heart and he groaned softly as he fell to his knees, then his side, still in his sister's arms as she eased his descent.

"Lyude!" shouted Gibari racing forward. "We gotcha kid."

"Get out of my way!" shouted Jareth as he raced forward and Vallye summoned her rifle looking at him with mistrust.

"Son!" Jareth shouted, turning Lyude onto his back as he lay limply. His eyes closed.

Vallye recognized him then. "It can't be...Father!"

"Vallye!" said Jareth in shock but Vallye was already beside him, looking down on her little brother with genuine concern. The rest stood around them seeming afraid to speak.

Jareth propped Lyude up onto his lap and brushed a few scarlet locks from his face, looking down on the wan, response less form of his son.

"If ever a prayer was heard...please...let him be all right. I beg of you, Pyri, let him be. I cannot lose my son again...Lyude, please, wake up, open your eyes." Jareth whispered softly. "You always brought me such joy in your wonder, in your gentle kindness... you never lost that...please son...please don't let me slip back to where I was. You saved me once...if I were to lose you again, I fear I would lose myself again...completely."

The room was absolutely still, everyone watching with bated breath. Vallye checked for a pulse, as she touched Lyude's neck, he stirred and opened his eyes weakly.

His head turned and he looked at those surrounding him, his eyes seemed normal, and the familiar, gentle look that everyone recognized shone within them. "Is it over?" he murmured softly. Jareth looked upon him with gratitude and held him tight, tears streaming down his face. He drew away and turned to look at the Organ. "Not quite, son." he said firmly. "You must return the Organ to its rest. Put her to sleep, son." Jareth helped Lyude to his feet, and supported him on the walk to the Organ as Lyude sat down and placed his hands over the keys. He wondered vaguely if putting the Organ to rest would be as costly this time. He had actually died the first time. His fingers brushed the surface of the ivories as he closed his eyes in a silent prayer as the flames embraced him once again.

"Once again I come to bring peace to the land, my tribute stands as before, send your blessings to this nation and bring us a lasting peace. Please...one thing I would ask of you Pyri, let me live to see my wife, protect me as I give my all to restore this nation and protect if from all that would do it harm. Let me be there for her...please." With that, Lyude began to play, the Red Dawn's Finale swept across the land. Kalas and Xelha watched with recognition, having been present at the song's first playing. Mizuti, Savyna, and Gibari listened with wonder. The blood red skies returned to blue, the dark energy began to fade, and the final notes dispelled all that had poisoned the nation. The Organ fell to slumber and Lyude slumped his shoulders wearily. He felt weak, but he was alive, Pyri had spared him.

"Lyude...?" said Vallye, daring to speak for the first time since she had recognized her father. Facing Lyude was much easier than facing her estranged father. Lyude turned and looked to Vallye with a weary smile.

"Vallye...let's go home..." he said and he shakily got to his feet. Jareth took hold of him from his right side, and Vallye supported him on his left.

"You oughta rest, kid." said Gibari looking concerned as he stared into Lyude's pale face. "One of us could carry you."

Lyude shook his head. "Thank you, Gibari, but no. I wish to leave here on my feet. If I were to allow myself to fall into a position of repose, I don't know how long I'd sleep, and I want to be awake when I return to Alyssa."

"You sure you can make it, Lyude? That's a few miles yet." said Xelha.

"I can make it. They have some land rovers at the surface, I assume?"

"Of course sir." said a young general striding up to him. "Welcome back, Minister." he said with respectful bow. "Your leadership has been sorely missed. Everything is under control now."

Lyude nodded. "Thank you..." he looked around for a moment. "Where's Urden and Quentin?" he asked. Just as soon as the words escaped his lips he saw them, Lena and a ten year old boy were with them as well, the family was embracing happily and Quentin turned to Lyude with a relieved smile. Words were not necessary.

Gibari helped Kalas to his feet and supported him on his good side. Lyude looked sadly at Kalas.

"I'm so sorry, my friend." he said softly.

"Wasn't you, it was that maniac. Didn't exactly expect to fly on my own again without wings." he said ruefully.

Lyude nodded. "Let's go." he said. Lyude stepped out into the desert sun, supported on either side by his father and sister. A loud cheer rang out and Lyude managed a faint smile in greeting to the villagers. Several children reached out to him but the party gently ushered them back, acting as a sort of honor guard. Lyude boarded the first available land rover and leaned heavily against the railing for support as it sped away.

Jareth watched him silently. Lyude insisted on keeping himself upright though it was clearly taking all his energies to do so. Only one thing drove him now. The prospect of seeing his wife again.

He watched quietly as Xelha tended to Kalas's wounds and Vallye cleaned and bandaged his slashed arm. "Alyssa will do a better job when we return." she said quietly. Lyude couldn't help but smile and he stood a little straighter forcing himself to remain awake.

The Imperial fortress came into view nearly a half hour later, Lyude was gripping the railing tightly, he looked up as they drew near to the fortress and saw the gates opening, a flash of dark hair shimmered in the sunlight and Lyude smiled. "At last..." They were through the gates, the rover hadn't even come to a complete halt when Lyude leapt over the side and Alyssa threw herself into his arms.

He held her close, breathing in her perfume and burying his face in her silken locks. Alyssa in tears and holding him as if she would never let go. Unconsciously, the flaming wings appeared from his back and wrapped around Alyssa so that they were completely shielded from view in their embrace. Alyssa's shock gave way to wonder as her eyes found Lyude's. It didn't matter what transformation he may have gone through, her husband was in her arms again, and that was all that mattered.

"Alyssa..." he murmured, he had drawn her as close as her swelling stomach would allow and she smiled, leaning forward the rest of the way and brushing her lips against his lovingly. She felt him grow heavy against her and his wings disappeared. His eyes closed weakly, his breath releasing in a soft, contented sigh and she eased him to the ground.

Skeed, who had been standing back to allow the two lovers their reunion, knelt down beside him and looked down on his exhausted sibling with gratitude. He lifted him gently in his arms, taking his sleeping brother into the fortress. "Welcome home, little brother." he whispered softly and carried him gently to his room.