JUST AND MAGNIFICENT
Volume 3: The Price We Pay For Love

3.12: The Final Battle, Part 3

Most of Volume 3 of Just and Magnificent takes place in the 3-6 years after the events of the movie. It is the last of three volumes. It is AU and if you haven't figured out, contains slash and incest. Hopefully you find it handled in a way that is as pure as possible.
Summary: The Final Battle ends.
Warnings: Slash, Incest, Love, Romance, Adventure, Mystery, Action.
Disclaimer: Only characters that are mine are the Pretty Eyes People from Shian! And since they're all dead except Orrin, well I only own him now! Well actually, he's dead now so now I own no one! sniff All the rest belong to that master of awesomeness, C.S. Lewis.

JUST AND MAGNIFICENT 3.12 – THE FINAL BATTLE, Part 3

A BATTLE BEYOND SIGHT AND SOUND

Edmund crashed to the ground with a thud, Susan landing beside him. He, like Roan, Susan and everyone else around him was blinded by a light that seemed never ending. It was almost as if the entire world was lit up at once. Unlike everyone else however, Edmund knew just what was happening.

Though he could not see, he could certainly hear. He could hear the screams of those who tried in vain to see and found themselves blinded by the light of the duel between legends. He could also hear the unnatural sounds of battle between the great lion and the one who is many. A battle he witnessed when Aslan saved him from the abyss.

"Aslan!" Edmund screamed.

He stood to his feet and began stumbling blind, using his well trained abilities as the Rogue Warrior to find his way. He blocked out the sounds of all others except the sounds that mattered. The sounds of a battle between a great lion and a dark lord.

With his hands gripping his sword, Edmund stepped over bodies of the dead, dying and incapacitated to make his way toward Aslan. The closer he stepped toward their voices and cries, the less he heard of others screaming. It was almost as if he were stepping into a world, a place completely separate and yet one with the battlefield. It confused him, particularly when he could not see what was around him, but only hear.

"Aslan!" Edmund yelled again, desperately, "Where are you?"

Edmund felt fate calling him. He knew that finally the Rogue Warrior would have the chance to strike down the one who is many. With each step, he grew bolder. With each step he became the Rogue Warrior who had trained and fought blind so many times. A Rogue Warrior who had slain a dragon while blinded. A Rogue Warrior who now hunted the dark lord.

As he stepped closer toward the source of the blinding light, Edmund made out voices among battle cries and the sounds of fighting between legends. Voices that were at once frail, angry, bitter, strong, compassionate, despairing, somber, and even sad. He could not make sense of it all. Indeed, he almost found it difficult to discern between the two voices.

"You should not have come, Brother. This world is mine. This battle was merely to lure you here. Why even come? I would have let you live. Yet you come to challenge me when my power is beyond you. This world does not believe in you, they believe in me! They believe in my power, in my fear, in my might! My influence has paled yours. I have already won!"

"I will not let you take this world!"

"You would die for them? Your sacrifice will not save them It will not save this world!"

"No, but it might save you."

Once again the voices were broken by the sound of clashes like thunder. Broken by the sounds of a gasping demon and a wounded lion. Ever closer Edmund stepped toward the voices, unable to hear anything else now except those two voices and those two battle cries.

"You abandoned me! You cast me out!"

"You chose your fate! You turned, not I! Your greed cast you out!"

"Nevertheless, I have returned more powerful than you could have ever imagined I'd be! Now it is I who will cast you out!"

"You cannot have this world!"

"I already have it!"

Again the sounds of fighting drowned out the sounds of the voices, and Edmund knew he was almost upon them. In the sounds of fighting, he made out the sound of a wounded lion more than he did a tortured demon. He knew Lejious had grown more powerful as his influence spread over the world, but he did not expect Aslan to fall to him. Surely the great lion could not be defeated.

"Brother!"

"Why?"

"Don't make me destroy you!"

"There is still hope for you!"

"Just as there is for you, Brother!"

It was becoming harder and harder for Edmund to make out who the voices belonged to. He knew the time had come for him to strike and he dared to open his eyes. Before he was struck blind again, he made out the briefest image of two figures that looked nothing like a lion or a dark knight. The silhouette was so brief in his mind that he could not discern the shape. All he knew is they were almost identical and too absorbed in each other to notice his presence.

"Serve me, Brother! We can rule together! We can stand together!"

"It is not our place to rule over them! It is our place to guide them! To protect them!"

"Is that what you call it? I protect them! I give them strength!"

"You give them fear!"

"You give them fear!"

"This world is not yours, it is theirs!"

"It is mine!"

"Not yet, Demon!" Edmund screamed, plunging his sword at the source of the voice.

He was sent flying backwards by a shockwave of energy that precipitated the blinding light dissipating. Taking some time to adjust himself to being able to see, Edmund could see Lejious on the ground with no sign of Aslan. The one who is many crawled along the ground as Edmund pulled himself to his feet.

He staggered confused toward the dark lord, stopping only to pick up his sword. He was startled by a limping Peter who could barely stand and whose face was charred and bloody. Peter placed his hand on Edmund's shoulder for support as they staggered together toward Lejious.

"Finish him, Ed." Peter gasped, his bloody hand covering Edmund's, "Quickly, while he is weakened."

"I will finish this, Peter." said Edmund, stepping toward Lejious and holding his sword over his neck, "Time to die, Demon!"

Edmund thrust his sword down, but at the last minute turned it in mid air to slice at Peter's abdomen. Peter stared back at Edmund in disbelief, but Edmund only glared at him in response. He stepped up to a Peter who gaped at his open wound.

"Anyone but Peter. Anyone but my Peter and you might have fooled me. I've learned since the last time, Lejious. Trust my heart, lest my eyes deceive me. My eyes do deceive me, because you are not my Peter. Even blind I can feel him, and if I close my eyes now, I would not feel him standing before me. I would only feel hate, and that is most definitely not what I feel for my Peter."

Peter's face hardened with a scowl before he started changing shape into that of Lejious, "Fool!"

Instantly, Edmund stabbed his sword through Lejious's heart. He pulled the sword out, swinging around to cut off his head. Before he could connect, Lejious grabbed him by the throat and smashed the sword from his hand. He threw Edmund backwards with a mighty force of energy, sending Edmund crashing against the corpse of a dead centaur.

Edmund realized that what he was led to believe was Lejious, was in fact the great lion. A lion who was obviously wounded, yet so was Lejious. However, Aslan seemed to be in far worse shape than Lejious, even with Edmund's attack. Lejious held his stomach in pain, the battle quickly returning to life around them as Aslan lay dying on the ground.

Lejious stepped slowly toward a gasping Aslan. Much as he had done to Peter, he now did to Aslan. He raised him into the air before summoning down lightning and electrifying the great lion with it.

"Here is your lion! The lion I allowed to come here so I could make an example of him before the last of the faithful!" Lejious bellowed, "Those who serve him shall suffer his fate! Kneel before me! Kneel before your god! Or suffer like your lion!"

To emphasize his words, Lejious raised Aslan higher into the air and brought forth more lightning to punish and torture the lion. When Edmund tried to stand up, Lejious sent him flying back again with a force of energy from his hand. Edmund cried out in frustration and agony, for he was not prepared to face a Lejious who wielded so much power. Yet he should have expected it after all, because unlike Jadis, he did not practice the dark arts, he created them. He ruled over the dark side of the hereafter. The abyss that Edmund found himself being sent to after the Battle for Cair Paravel. The ruler of the empty place, the void and darkness that no one should ever wish to go to. Now he ruled over the world.

"Kneel!" Lejious bellowed, his voice carrying across the battlefield, "Kneel to your god! Kneel to me!"

Much to Edmund's horror, several of the Calormen and Archenlanders fell to their knees out of fear and awe at Lejious's stunning display of power. Yet it was still not enough for Lejious, who in a horrifying display of spite and power brought forth random lightning across the battlefield. His strikes paid no heed to allegiance, whether it be to darkness or light, he struck them dead. All except the fallen fell to his rampant show of power.

"I said kneel!" roared Lejious, sounding not unlike Aslan.

Just as he commanded, many fell to their knees or bowed if they could not. Edmund could take no more of this. He knew if Lejious continued, he would tame the last of those who stood against him. He would tame the entire world. The time had come for him to make the stand.

"Edmund …" Aslan gasped as his body writhed in the air, "I … cannot … st…"

Mustering all his courage and might, Edmund stood to his feet. He ran at Lejious with sword outstretched. He ducked and weaved, jumped and dived, to avoid Lejious's attempts to knock him back with his power. Sensing Edmund would soon be upon him, Lejious sent Aslan flying through the air and crashing to the ground.

Lejious turned his full attention to Edmund, standing firm in wait for Edmund's assault. Edmund was counting on this, for Lejious did not see what Edmund saw behind him. Lejious did not see the shadow of a warrior emerging fearlessly from the masses. Lejious did not see the Shian who stalked him from behind.

Edmund launched himself into the air at Lejious, just as the Shian did so from behind. Before he could land and strike at Lejious, the expected happened and he was stopped. Stopped by a lightning fast hand that smacked away his sword, before another grabbed his neck just as quickly.

"Rogue Warrior, is that the best you have to offer against me?"

Lejious had barely finished the words before two swords burst through his chest. Edmund kicked himself away, rolling back next to his sword. He kicked up just as Orrin leaned in and split his swords out, cutting Lejious in two. The same time Orrin's sword split Lejious's torso in two, Edmund's sword swung through his neck, cutting off the dark lord's head.

Both Edmund and Orrin were blown backwards as Lejious's armor fell apart and his body seemed to explode into light. Once again Edmund found himself blinded, but much to his horror, he soon realized Lejious was far from dead. Just as he realized that all around him was completely dark. Dark as an abyss. Dark as the abyss.

THE VALIANT RETURNS

"Peter!" Lucy cried out as she rushed to his side, "Peter, don't you leave us!"

She did not wait to see if he was still breathing. She tilted his head up and brought her cordial to his lips. No sooner had he drunk it, she brought her fist smashing down on his chest. If his heart wasn't beating then, it would be now.

"Breathe, Peter!" Lucy yelled, nay ordered, "I said breathe!"

After some tense moments, Peter indeed did just as Lucy asked. He opened his eyes, staring up at her in disbelief. As if by sheer force of will, Lucy sat him up and will her cordial to work its magic as fast as it could possibly do so. Susan was already walking past them in the background, having already been given Lucy's cordial to heal her own wounds enough to be mobile. This battle was not over for any of them.

"Edmund needs us." Lucy said sternly, "Aslan needs us. Look!"

Peter did as Lucy said and looked in the direction she pointed. He could see neither Lejious, Aslan, nor Edmund. All he could see was a dome of darkness enveloping the ground. A dome that grew wider with each passing moment.

Peter stood to his feet, staggering as he did so, but letting his adrenaline and love for Edmund and Narnia inspire him. He had no idea what was happening, but the sight was ominous enough to tell him it was not good. As the dome expanded, some were enveloped while others were pushed back by it. When he heard screams from those who were enveloped by the dome, he knew what he was witnessing was some unspeakable horror. He felt a growing fear in his heart, before he caught sight of Aslan at the edge of the dome.

"Aslan! Soldiers, help me!" Peter said as he made his way to Aslan, stepping over corpses and the debris of battle as he did so.

Peter reached down to help carry the lion along with five of his soldiers. They pulled him away just in time, before the void expanded. They carried him quickly away to Lucy's side, placing him next to the valiant queen.

"Aslan, what is happening?" Peter asked anxiously.

"He's too strong. His power grew with his influence. I came too late." Aslan gasped, "What he is doing … is beyond my power to stop."

"What is he doing?"

TEAR THE WORLD TO DARKNESS

Inside the void, Edmund could see nothing but the darkness and those who were now trapped inside it with him. Their screams were horrific as they struggled in vain to find some way out of the void, out of the abyss. Yet there was no way out. They could see nothing but each other, the void … and him.

Lejious still stood before him, his body reforming before Edmund's eyes. When he had done so, he pulled his helmet off to finally reveal the face that lay beneath it. For Edmund, the face was his own. Yet Edmund knew that this was obviously a deception. For to others, Lejious's face appeared to be someone else entirely, as they would scream names and react in ways far differently to Edmund.

"Do you think mere swords can stop me? Did you really think you could ever defeat me?"

"What is this place, Lejious?" Edmund asked, finding it odd that Lejious made no move to attack him, "Why not show your real face? Do you even have one?"

"You know what this place is. You have been here before. It is where the damned, the condemned, the cast out, it is where they all come to rest. I have claimed your world, and I shall make it part of mine! I will plunge the world into darkness!"

"What?"

"I have tamed the lion. I have beaten the last bastion of hope your world had! Nothing you can do will be enough to stop me now. This world is mine. Bear witness to the power of your new god!"

Edmund suddenly felt a pulling on him, just as all the other beings around him did. A pulling that began gently, but soon felt like a fierce wind drawing them closer to Lejious. As Edmund soon noticed, it was not to Lejious, but beneath him. A vortex that grew beneath him and was soon engulfing those nearby, sucking them into the place that spawned Edmund's nightmares. The place he did not ever wish to return to.

"Lejious, even you must realize what you are doing! You are defiling the natural order of the world! You are defiling the balance!"

"I am the natural order! I will take this world and the lion's country after it!" Lejious said as he raised himself into the air, up and away from the vortex that he had opened.

The darkness faded slightly around the edges and now Edmund could just make out the battlefield. He realized he was in a dome of darkness. A dome that was expanding and consuming more corpses and unlucky wounded who could not escape it. Yet what Edmund soon realized is that many of the Narnian or the 'faithful' loyal to Aslan were not enveloped, rather they were forced back out of the darkness.

"You are tainted, Son of Adam. You are a former fallen. It is why you will always be … welcome here." Lejious taunted as he held out his arms.

Lightning shot down from the sky, into his arms, enveloping him before shooting out at the dome's edge. The dome grew far quicker than it had previously, and as the pull on his body grew, Edmund began running as fast as he could towards the edge of the darkness. Yet he had no intention of trying to escape. He wasn't even sure that was possible. What he did plan however, was to use the pull of the vortex to his advantage.

Drawing his sword, Edmund ran with the pull toward the vortex before kicking up and into the air. He did at just the right angle so that he arced up with the pull and shot straight at Lejious. His sword pierced his midsection, which caused Lejious to scream out and expend more of his power to reform his mortal body.

Edmund held onto his leg, lightning coursing through him as he did so. He jabbed Lejious as much as he could, wounding the demon so frequently that soon he did not have the power to maintain the lightning that charged the dome. Both Lejious and Edmund were soon pulled down toward the vortex, with the dark lord screaming in anger.

Lejious reacted by raising his hand to the air. The top of the dome broke away as if the darkness become shards of glass floating up into the sky. He struck the sword away from Edmund's hand before raising both himself and Edmund up out of the top of the dome. They shot up into the sky, high above the battlefield and the dome beneath them.

"Bear witness …"

GUARDIAN CIRCLE

"Edmund!"

Peter stood in disbelief as the top of the dome smashed away, floating up into the air as Lejious and Edmund soon followed. They shot up out of the dome and into the sky with the speed of a shooting star. Helpless, Peter watched as the two had each other by the neck with Edmund refusing to be pushed off.

To Peter's horror, much of the debris around him began rising into the air, just as the top of the dome did. Corpses and shields, swords and shattered armor. They all rose into the air, as did all manner of other objects. It was clear to Peter just what, just who was responsible.

"Must … seal …" Aslan gasped as he lay gasping, slowly recovering with the help of Lucy's cordial, "Only … tainted … or … fallen … can … seal … enter … darkness …"

"Aslan, I don't understand." Peter said dropping to his knees beside him, "How do we stop him?"

"Send … him … back …" the lion wheezed, "Seal … but … once in … cannot come back …"

"I'll do it." Peter said standing to his feet, "I'll find a way."

"Find a way fast, Peter!" Lucy yelled, "We're being surrounded!"

Even though many now stood in awe of Lejious's power and the dome of darkness he had created, the battle still raged on. However, Aslan's defeat in battle had led to many of those fighting for light to lose heart. It also gave much of Lejious's army time to start forming around the dome in an effort to finish off the great lion and his loyal that surrounded him.

"Protect Aslan!" Peter yelled, drawing his mighty sword, Rhindon, "Lucy, Tumnus, stay with him!"

Peter was barely in a condition to fight himself, but he prepared to do so. He was not alone for Susan already had her bow striking enemy after enemy down before Peter could even strike one. The two siblings formed a barrier around Aslan as hordes of boggles, ogres, minotaur and all manner of creatures came at them.

As one incubus leaped into the air, Susan shot it dead before it could even spread its wings. A boggle here, a dwarf there, her accuracy proved to be deadly. Yet it was not enough to hold back the hordes.

To both her and Peter's great pride, the soldiers of light recovered from their shock and awe at Lejious's power. They now fought with as much fervor as they ever had in this battle. It was as if they sensed, just as Peter did, that the end was near and whoever won this next phase would win the battle, would win the war.

Susan could see many of her loyal Southern Alliance trying to break through to her, just as many of Peter's army tried to get through to him. The battle was on once more and the center of attention was no longer the dome, but the great lion. One side in hunt of his blood, the other desperate to protect him.

Oreius was one of the first to break through and join the circle around Aslan, while Lucy and Mr. Tumnus remained with the slowly recovering lion. It was obvious his wounds were beyond the cordial's remedies. Not even Lucy could understand the type of battle he had just fought. All she could do was sit and hope her cordial would do something to help the mighty beast raise himself up and bring hope again to this battle. He did so slowly, but she was not certain whether that was due to her cordial or his own power.

The three loyal managed to keep their circle around Aslan while many of their loyal tried to disrupt the enemy lines from behind. Susan fought with a mad rage, having been forced to switch to her two long swords and fight close quarters. Peter used his power to cut enemies away with one stroke, while Oreius used his two mighty swords to attack the larger enemies.

"There's too many of them!" Peter yelled between strikes.

"Come on, Peter! Did you really think you would live forever?" Susan yelled back with a mad glint in her eyes.

"I was hoping so!"

At first the hordes had been manageable with their armies behind the enemy line. However as the battle wore on, more and more of Lejious's army turned their attention toward Aslan and his guardian circle. This did not surprise Peter in the least. What did surprise him was the fact that many of the fallen were now fighting against Lejious's army.

"What in Beruna's name are they doing?" Peter asked in surprise.

As a giant who fought for Lejious made his way toward Aslan, Peter soon received his answer. Leaping out of the hordes behind the giant was a familiar Shian. Peter could not believe his eyes as the Shian use his long swords to stab his way up the giant's back. In less time than it took him to appear, Orrin had slashed the giant's throat and the huge creature fell forward to his death. As he landed, he crushed many of those who charged against Aslan.

When the dust cleared from the giant's mighty crash, Orrin stood atop his head. He turned to both Peter and Susan, bowing respectfully just as he would have in life. He leaped off the giant's head and joined the circle, with a still stunned Peter staring blankly at him. Susan however could barely hide the smile on her face, as if somehow she knew he would find his way back to her.

"Orrin?" Peter gasped in surprise.

"Explanations later, Majesty. I come to serve. As do my fallen." Orrin said forming a defensive stance in the now four strong circle, "They follow me just as King Edmund's followed him. However, I no longer serve the dark lord and so now, those of the fallen once fought for Aslan, now fight for him again. I cannot turn the rest. That demon should have chosen another to be his champion. He will lose this war because he did not."

"You were his champion?"

"As I said, Majesty." Orrin said between cutting off a boggle's head and stabbing at a wolf, "Later."

"Explanations can wait. This can't." Susan said smashing her lips against Orrin's, ignoring the cold flesh that greeted her.

If fallen could blush, Orrin was doing so at that very moment. Yet he merely nodded and formed a smile in response, before returning his attention to his enemies.

"I could get used to it. Nice of you to join us." Susan said with a teary smile before she turned her calls to Peter, "Oh, Peter? About that living forever part, I think I'd like that very much too!"

"Then let's give these hell dwellers our own kind of hell!"

And so they did. They fought as one, their circle never breaking. The four mighty fighters gave hell to those who dared approach the lion. And while they fought unbelievable odds on the ground, one of their own fought an unbelievable battle in the sky.

BATTLE IN THE SKY

"You cannot stop me, Son of Adam!"

"Can I at least tell you to shut up?" Edmund growled as he hung off Lejious's back, high above the dome.

Far beneath them, random debris floated into the air, as did many chunks of the landscape. All of which were being sucked toward the dome of darkness that slowly grew with each passing moment. Edmund could see the dark lord was using all his power to try and merge his underworld, the abyss, with the world of Narnia.

Desperate to undo his plans, Edmund could do little but hold on for dear life. Yet help came in the form of two gryphon, Roan and Seeko. The ever faithful duo circled around Lejious, drawing his attention away from trying to throw Edmund off. Roan's speed allowed him to swoop by and swipe at Lejious's helmet. Seeko followed up with a swipe at his midsection.

Edmund capitalized by ripping off Lejious's helmet and was greeted with a blinding light. A light that caused him to lose his grip and Lejious to lose whatever power was holding them both up. It was clear to Edmund that whenever Lejious was exposed, it took great amounts of his energy to maintain his appearance. Yet he had little time to use this to his advantage as they were both soon plummeting downwards at a terrifying rate.

RISE UP AGAINST THE DARKNESS

"Peter, look!" yelled Lucy as she pointed to the sky.

Peter looked up to see Edmund plummeting toward the dome with Lejious. Roan descended as quickly as he could in an effort to save Edmund, but to Peter's horror, he was too late. Edmund and Lejious both returned into the dome from above, with Peter unable to tell whether or not Edmund survived for he could not see into it.

Their own battle was faring much better with the turning of many of Orrin's fallen. Finally the army of light stood even, if not outnumbering the army of darkness. The fallen army had been split down the middle, with those who served him in life staying with him. Those who fought for Aslan in life, now served him once again, following the lead that their champion had taken.

In another surprise, many of the Lone Islanders who fought against their will for Lejious now changed their colors to join their Narnian brothers. Those who were forced to fight for Lejious now abandoned him, perhaps realizing that if they were to die, it would be for their own cause. Many of those Lone Islanders who fought against their will for their families' sake now fought for them, hoping to usurp the leadership that pledged themselves to Lejious. The return of Aslan had also inspired many to return to his side of the war. Now the battle was afoot with both sides fighting as though they had everything to lose.

Peter truly felt that they had more than a fighting chance now. Aslan's strength had almost returned and the army of light was regaining its fervor. Peter could feel a hope growing within him that perhaps this battle would be won very soon. But as he looked back at the dome and thought of his Edmund he wondered, at what price would it be won, if it was indeed won?

"It is time, Peter." Aslan said as he struggled to his feet, "While he is inside, we must seal him in."

"But E…" Peter was about to say, but he did not finish his sentence.

As much as he loved Edmund, he knew this war would have casualties. There had already been so many, and both he and Edmund knew they could both be at risk because of it. He nodded to Aslan, but in his own mind he would not abandon Edmund if there was still hope for him. For now however, his cause would have to be the greater good.

"What must we do?" Peter asked, "How do we seal him in?"

"We will use his own power against him. I can seal the gateway he has created, but he must be sent back through it first, so that he is kept in."

With renewed strength, Aslan ran toward the edge of the dome. Peter, Susan, Orrin, Oreius, Tumnus, and Lucy all followed with many of their loyal. While Orrin and Oreius continued defending, Aslan and the rest stood before the dark dome.

The sounds of battle were drowned out by the sudden roar of Aslan. A roar aimed squarely at the dome. A roar that it hit as though it were a tangible force. The edge of the dome rippled around the edges, suddenly stopping its expanding.

For the briefest instant, Peter could make out the shadows of all who were trapped inside the mammoth dome. It appeared as though they were being sucked toward its center. Sucked toward a point that he believed was the gateway Aslan spoke of. A gateway that would grow larger with the dome and eventually encompass the entire world, thus making Lejious the undisputed lord of all.

What caught Peter's attention the most in that brief instant was the sight of his Edmund dueling with Lejious. Or perhaps less dueling and more Edmund being sucked into the gateway and doing his best to take Lejious with him. Just as quickly the dome was solid darkness again and he could no longer see in.

All Peter could do was stand in horror as he contemplated Edmund's fate inside that dome. Aslan's roar and sheer force of will seemed to push the dome back into itself. He stepped slowly toward it, continuing his mighty roar.

As the dome shrunk in on itself, Peter's fear and anxieties grew for Edmund. These anxieties grew even more when lightning shot down into the dome. He could only imagine just what was going on inside. Was his Edmund still in there?

LIGHT UP THE DARKNESS

Edmund struggled to keep his hold on a dark lord who still struggled to raise himself back and out of the dome, but he refused to let go. If he was forced to spent eternity in the abyss, he'd be sure to take Lejious with him. He wondered why the dark lord didn't just close the vortex instead of risking his own premature return to it.

"What's the matter, Lejious?" Edmund yelled as the pull on him increased, "Not strong enough to close what you've opened?"

"I will never close it!" Lejious bellowed as lightning shut down into him and he directed it against the dome.

"Will not, or cannot? Not even to save your own worthless soul?"

Edmund's taunts seemed to distract Lejious from his intent to stop the dome from shrinking. He could hear Aslan's roar. He could feel it shaking the very darkness around him.

"Damn you, Brother!" Lejious yelled, screaming as his lightning poured out into the dome, "You will not cast me out again!"

Capitalizing on Lejious's distraction, Edmund reached up once more and pulled at his helmet. Lejious fought back by sending lightning down and into Edmund's body. Yet as a former fallen and the Rogue Warrior, Edmund was far more adept at absorbing Lejious's attacks. He grit his teeth and would not let go of the helmet, even as Lejious struggled to keep it on. With a mighty cry and determined grab from his charred hand, Edmund pulled the helmet from Lejious's head and threw it into the vortex.

A mighty scream erupted that was more like a roar than Edmund would have imagined. A scream that was accompanied by blinding light. Blinding light that broke the darkness and shattered the dome.

The dome exploded outwards, sending all around it flying in its wake. All except Aslan. Edmund could see the great lion standing as shards of darkness floated around him. He stalked ever closer, yet Edmund could see that the part of the dome that still remained dense with darkness were harder for Aslan to pass.

Now that the light had faded somewhat, Edmund finally saw what lay beneath Lejious's helmet. The face flashed from that of Peter to King Firson to Jadis to Dalzell and what seemed like hundreds more faces. Each change in face was accompanied by a gasp and a groan from the dark lord. Accompanied by a flash of lightning that seemed to shatter the dome out and up a little more. Finally the face he was left with was one that had no features. Almost as if a blur of an aura prevented Edmund from making out the face.

"It is over, Brother." Aslan said with little pride in his voice, "It is over."

"I will never yield!" Lejious cried, before he was pulled back toward the vortex.

Edmund realized that with Lejious not powerful enough to resist the pull of the vortex, they were both being sucked back into it. He let go and grabbed hold of a giant's finger, the corpse seemingly heavy enough to withstand the vortex. Yet in a reverse of positions, it was now a powerless Lejious who clung to Edmund.

Edmund struggled to hold on, but it was difficult with Lejious holding him as well. His eyes desperately traced Aslan's, but the great lion could not step into the darkness that still surrounded much of the inner dome. Indeed, the darkness seemed to back coming back in on itself. It seemed to collapse as the explosion of the dome now reversed, so that the very darkness itself was being sucked into the vortex. Now Edmund could barely even see Aslan through the thickening wall of the darkness.

"Aslan!" Edmund yelled, "I can't hold on! Do you want me to let go and take him with me? I will go there if it is your will! I will let go!"

A CHOICE TO LAST ETERNITY

"Promised One …"

Orrin spoke with an ominous tone that Susan did not wish to hear. She knew him far too well not to recognize that tone of duty, that tone of sacrifice. She shook her head before he could continue speaking, tears streaming down her face. Yet her brief glimpse of Edmund's plight made her more than aware of Orrin's intentions.

"I can end this. But I cannot go … unless you let me go. My time is over. This has always been my fate. The only way to make sure he stays out of this world, is to take him out … with me. Only a fallen can enter. I am a fallen." He said placing a hand on her shoulder, "I can end this war and save your brother. I can redeem my people. I can end the suffering that he would plunder this world with."

"If you go there … I will never see you again." Susan cried, "Not even when I die."

"It is a better fate I serve, than to suffer those I love to it." he said softly, "Your family is my family. I wish to protect them. I wish to protect you. This is not Edmund's time. Let me go, Promised One."

"No." sobbed Susan, running toward the dome trying to push herself into it with no success, "There must be another way!"

"Please …" Orrin said taking Susan's hand, letting her feel the cold that permeated through him, "I will never be what I once was. I am not bound by love as the Edmund and the other fallen were. Your love will not bring me back as it brought them back. Edmund is warm. He is alive. My time is over. Let me do something for my … family … before my name is forever cast into oblivion."

"This is really it, isn't it?" Susan gasped, her eyes laced with resigned tears as she stared at her fallen husband, "I'm going to lose you forever."

"No." Orrin smiled, placing his cold hand over her heart, "As long you live, so will I."

"I'll try to tell myself that, but it will not keep me warm at night."

She let out a muffled sob before pressing her lips to Orrin's and forcing a kiss. At first he hesitated due to his lack of warmth, but soon he reciprocated, enveloping his wife in his arms. Though his body was cold, the love that bound them filled Susan with enough warmth for them both. Suddenly she pulled away and stared at him, cupping his face.

"My life is shadow without you. I will not breathe or love or live fully again. For when you go … you take the best part of me with you." Susan said in a pained whisper, before she said the words that killed a part of her soul that she would never regain, "Go. Fulfill your prophecy. Save Edmund and save us all. Finish him."

Her eyes filled with tears as he hesitated. She mouthed 'I love you', but could not vocalize the words. She knew she could not watch him leave her again. Breaking into sobs, she turned from him and walked away from the dome. She walked away from her heart, from her hope and consigned herself to a life that would not live the same again. A life where hope would die and magic would be a little less believable. When she dared to turn around, her heart was already gone.

A FATE DENIED, A PROPHECY FULFILLED

Edmund could no longer see Aslan. He could no longer see the battlefield. All he could see was the dark dome around him collapsing in on itself. He was barely hanging on to the dead giant's finger, and he feared his fate was set.

"Your lion has not won yet, Son of Adam!" Lejious boomed, raising one hand to the sky as the other held Edmund's leg.

Though much weaker, Edmund knew Lejious had recovered enough to try one last desperate act to fulfill his plans for this world. Once more lightning rained down from the sky, enveloping the dome and threatening to expand it. Even more horrific for Edmund was the sensation of lightness that he knew would come from Lejious having the strength to raise himself again.

Desperately, Edmund let go of the giant's hand, wanting nothing more than to pull Lejious into the vortex with him. He would rather suffer himself to oblivion than let Lejious reign over this world. Using the pull of the vortex, he pulled Lejious along with him.

Yet before Edmund could sacrifice himself, he bore witness to Orrin leaping through the darkness. It was a leap that became a flying dive at Lejious. Using the pull of the vortex, Orrin shot at Lejious with both swords outstretched.

Orrin smashed into Lejious with both swords, just as the dark lord began raising himself higher into the air. Edmund could barely react before Orrin kicked him off and onto the ground. Now with nothing to grab onto, Edmund began flying back as the pull of the vortex grew too strong. Yet so too were Lejious and Orrin.

All three were now being pulled even faster toward the vortex. Edmund screamed out in pain as Orrin shot one of his long swords into Edmund's already injured shoulder, effectively pinning him to the ground. He knew that the Shian had only acted in order to save him, but it did not make the act any less painful.

"Hold on, Edmund!" Orrin yelled as he and Lejious flew overhead, "You must live!"

"Damn you, Shian!" Lejious growled, grabbing at the ground to try and hold on.

"You knew the prophecy! Yet you still dared to use a Shian as your champion and provide me an opportunity to do this …" yelled Orrin, using his sword to impale himself along with Lejious, "Now you will share my fate! Now you will be destroyed! Your time in this world is over!"

"No!" Lejious screamed, sounding almost pained as he grabbed at anything he could to prevent his pull toward the vortex, "Brother! Help me! Do not forsake me!"

"Goodbye, Edmund!" the Shian yelled back as he and Lejious now hovered right next to the vortex, "Tell my promised one … tell her … nothing. Nothing will fix this. Tell her I am sorry!"

Edmund cried out, trying to break free to at least do something to help Orrin. Yet he was too far away. As much as he wanted to, he could do nothing but watch. Watch as his brother in law, his brother, suffered oblivion for him.

"Orrin!" Edmund cried out, "Orrin!"

"No!" Lejious screamed, still clawing desperately to the ground before Orrin finally pushed them both off it and into the air, "No! No! No!"

"Your time is over, Demon!" Orrin growled as they now shot toward the vortex with nothing to save them, "Goodbye, Edmund!"

"Orrin!"

Orrin and Lejious both hit the vortex at once. Yet where others had simply vanished into the abyss screaming, Lejious exploded into a dizzying array of light. An array accompanied by his haunting screams for his brother. When the light faded, both Orrin and Lejious were gone. The prophecy had been fulfilled, Lejious had been destroyed by a Shian. The war was over, but the battle was not. Not for Edmund and not for his own life, for the vortex was still very much open.

YOU CANNOT GO WHERE I CANNOT FOLLOW

"What just happened?" Peter gasped, as his eyes transfixed to the huge explosion of light that blew out of the top of the dome.

When the light cleared, the battle seemed to be almost over. Every fallen had disappeared and now the last of Lejious's army seemed to lose their will to fight. Perhaps they had sensed their master's destruction. Perhaps the victory cries of the faithful had shattered their will for battle.

"It is done." Aslan said with downcast eyes, "It is over."

"Where's my Edmund?" Peter said as he stared at the dome, surprised with his sudden burst of emotion, "Why isn't this thing gone yet?"

Indeed though the dome continued to shrink rapidly, it was still very much in place. Peter could barely register that the war was over and Lejious had been destroyed. His mind was still on Edmund.

"He's alive, I know he's alive!" Peter gasped, "Please! Tell me there's a way!"

"You cannot enter, he cannot leave. I am sorry, Peter. When the dome collapses in on itself, the gateway will be sealed. Only fallen or tainted can enter, but even then, no one leaves, only he could. None of us can enter."

"I don't believe that. I won't believe that. This war is over. We have won. Narnia is saved." Peter said with tears in his eyes, "Aslan, I beg of you, please help me save him. Let me risk myself to save him."

"Do you believe you can save him?"

"I know I can …" Peter said with narrowing eyes, "I will save him."

Aslan responded without words or motions, neither supporting or rejecting Peter's claims. Peter understood exactly what the lion was saying to him however. He had fought for Narnia, and now he could fight for his love. Sternly, Peter nodded with tight lips before charging at the dome.

Peter hit the darkness with the force of a rhino. At the same time as Peter hit the wall, Aslan roared with all his might, sending the dome crashing faster into itself and weakening the wall just enough for Peter to push through. Like mighty wind it pushed Peter back, not letting him cross in and instead throwing him backwards.

"Damn you!" Peter growled as he stood to his feet, "You will not keep me from my love."

Once again Peter charged at the wall, and with a mighty scream he punched his hand through. With sheer force of magnificence, he pushed through the wall of darkness. Though not all of his body could step in, his arms and head could. He felt the air rushing from his lungs as he grew accustomed to the darkness. He also found that where one half of his body was still being pushed out, the part that was inside was being pulled in toward the vortex.

"Edmund!" Peter yelled with all his might, "Edmund!"

Sure enough, laying on the ground with his shoulder impaled was his Edmund. He was still too far away for Peter to reach, but as the dome closed in on itself, so too did the distance between himself and Edmund. He still pushed with all his might, trying to cross fully into the darkness, but it rejected him, still trying to push him out.

"Damn you, Darkness!" Peter growled, "Is my heart not tainted enough for you? Have I not spilled enough blood to be allowed entry? Does my brother's one betrayal as a child justify his presence here?"

As if using his anger to push his way through, Peter stepped one foot inside the darkness, which only seemed to strengthen its resistance against him. His mind so filled with anger, he had not realized how truly fearsome and despairing this darkness. He could only imagine what the abyss was truly like and he knew even more that he would not let his Doubt-bucket suffer eternity in it.

"Edmund!" Peter cried again, "Edmund!"

"Peter?" Edmund called back, turning around as he too fought against the pull of his body into the vortex, "What are you doing here? Go! Get out of here! You can't be here, Peter!"

"You do not go where I cannot follow!" Peter cried with hurting tears, "Do you hear me?"

"Peter!" Edmund cried out as he grabbed at the ground while trying to remove Orrin's sword from his shoulder, "Peter, go!"

"Hold on for me, Edmund! I won't let you go! I promised you I would never let you go again! I will not let you go! Reach for me!"

Peter cried out, pushing with all his might against the wall of darkness. Its pull was so strong that his armor began to bend with the smaller parts and fabric being ripped off and sent back to the battlefield. Yet Peter still pushed on, refusing to budge as his armor was continually ripped away and his face clenched in agony.

"Edmund!" cried Peter, his face filled with tears, "Either you come back with me, or I go there with you! You are not leaving me and I am not leaving you! Wherever we go, we go together!"

As if Peter's words had inspired him, Edmund turned back to face him. He managed to rip Orrin's sword from his shoulder and stab it into the ground in front of him. He used it as leverage to try and pull his way to Peter, but as the dome grew smaller, the pull of the vortex increased. Try as he might, he could not pull himself any further.

"Peter!" he called out, sobbing as he realized he could very well be pulled from Peter forever, "Peter, help me! Help me! Don't leave me!"

"I won't leave you!" Peter gasped, forcing his way in even closer, "I won't leave you, Doubt-bucket! Reach for me! Take my hand, Ed! Don't you leave me!"

Edmund cried out as he lunged forward, only to be pulled back even further. Only Orrin's sword saved him from flying back into the vortex. Yet the determined look and anxiety on Peter's face only made him try even harder to crawl back to him.

With Peter being pushed away from the darkness and himself being pulled in, Edmund wasn't certain he had any chance of surviving. Yet he had to try. He had to try for Peter who fought so hard to reach for him. He had to try for Orrin, to make his sacrifice not in vain. He had to try for himself, for he wanted nothing less than to live his life with Peter.

"I'm coming, Peter!" Edmund growled with a sudden flash of determination.

He stood to his feet quickly and used Orrin's sword to stab the ground in front of him. He stepped closer to Peter and used lightning fast stabs and forward movements of Orrin's sword to anchor him to the ground. With anger etched on his face, Edmund fought his against the pull of the vortex until finally Peter was within reach.

"That's it, Ed! Reach for me!" cried Peter as he lunged forward with his broken armor and red raw flesh, but was still unable to fully cross into the darkness, "Come on, Doubt-bucket!"

Edmund screamed with the effort of reaching his free hand out toward Peter. Their fingers barely inches from one another, they seemed unable to close the gap. Peter's eyes filled with frustrated tears as he tried to reach in even further to grab Edmund. Edmund for his part tried just as hard to reach for Peter.

"Come on, Doubt-bucket! Come on!" Peter cried out, "Reach for me!"

With one last lunge, Edmund pulled Orrin's sword out and stabbed it in front of him, before using it as leverage to launch himself at Peter. Their hands finally met in a fierce clasp that would not break once fixed. Peter gripped Edmund's hand so tight that Edmund believed he would rip his hand off. Yet when Peter tried to pull them both out, Edmund could not pass out with him.

Peter's fears grew with frightened shakes of his head as he realized what was happening. The dome closed in ever tighter, and he still hadn't broken Edmund free. He could feel time slipping away from him, but refused to give up even though his heart began sinking with fear.

"It won't let me out, Peter!" Edmund gasped as he tried desperately to push himself out of the dome the same way Peter pushed his way in, "Peter!"

Peter would not break free his grip however, and shot his free hand out to a Susan who had just run to his side. She gripped his hand while shooting her free hand back to Lucy. Lucy in turn shot her free hand back to Oreius. Forming a daisy chain they pulled with all their might to break Edmund through the shrinking wall of darkness.

Edmund cried out in pain and frustration as the wall and vortex continued pulling him back into the darkness. Yet as hard as the wall fought, so too did his family and Oreius. With a mighty growl, Oreius turned around and dug his hooves in, pulling the chain with him. Peter slipped his grip to Edmund's wrist and screamed with force as he tried to break Edmund free.

"I'm not letting go, Ed!" Peter growled, "So don't you dare let go either!"

"Peter, it's too strong!" Edmund sobbed in frustration, "I can't fight it! It's getting stronger every moment!"

"And so are we!" Peter shot back as more joined the chain to pull Edmund out.

The dome was rapidly shrinking now and Aslan's roars were doing little to shatter the wall enough to break Edmund free. Yet just as Peter and the daisy chain pulled harder, so too did Aslan roar. Yet now the dome was almost completely shrunken in on itself and Edmund was no longer standing. His legs flew backwards toward the vortex and the daisy chain had to pull even harder just to keep him from flying into it.

"It's ok to let go, Peter!" Edmund cried, his face looking almost as peaceful as the last time Peter had been forced to let him go at Cair Paravel, "You can let go!"

"Shut up!" Peter cried back fiercely, "I let you go once, I'm not letting go again! If I let go … it won't be of you, Ed! One way or another, we're ending this together!"

Unlike at the Battle for Cair Paravel, Peter did not let go of Edmund. Neither did he let go of Susan. With one mighty roar from Aslan, the darkness finally shattered enough just before the dome collapsed. Edmund was let loose and flew headfirst into Peter. The dome and last shards of darkness collapsed into the vortex before Aslan sealed it in on itself.

"I told you I wouldn't let you go." Peter sobbed as he smothered Edmund's face in kisses, the pair still slumped in a heap on the ground, "I told you!"

"You told me, Peter." Edmund sighed with tired tears, "You told me."

"I love you, Doubt-bucket. I'll never leave you." sobbed an overjoyed Peter, "Never."

Much to the disbelief of all, the war was finally over. Lejious had been defeated, his army crushed, and his darkness denied. The cries of victory were tempered with the sight of so many dead. The rays of light that broke through the dark clouds above were still not enough to break the heavy scent of war. The price had been high. Higher than any could ever believe. But for this brief moment at least, all among the battle could at least breathe. And as they did, their breaths would be laced with one thing they all fought for; freedom.

- To Be Continued -
3.13 - Aftermath
When the dust settles from the final battle, the price of a war that brought the world to its knees must now be counted with the bond of the four being one of many casualties.Edmund learns the price must still be paid for love.

A/N:Well holy shit if I may say so myself! I can't believe my baby is almost over cries I'm a dork, I know, but after writing this for so long, I'm kinda attached, you know? So excuse me if I'm a little dorky towards the end here. I'm picking 3.15 is where JaM will end. Naturally after an arc that covered all three volumes, I want to devote some time to the aftermath and rebuilding of Narnia, hence why 3.15 and not 3.13 is not the end. The war is over, Lejious is defeated. Orrin fulfilled the prophecy and consigned himself to oblivion to do so. Edmund almost paid the price, but unlike in Volume 1, there was no way in hell Peter would let him go again. Lots of action in this chapter! I'm still recovering from writing it! Honestly, I really hope you guys enjoyed The Final Battle as a whole, because I racked my brain trying to pull out a kick ass finale for this story. So if you did likethe action/drama of TFB, I'd love to know. Thank you all so much for reading. Reviews are love.