Chapter 12
We stepped out of the entrance to the cave into a scene of utter desolation. The sky was a forlorn, apocalyptic purple, with not a cloud to be seen. The ground beneath us was made of glass that reflected the color of the sky like water, and it stretched smooth and flat in all directions, meeting the sky in a flat line. Dotted around were small, flat slabs of gray rock. Farther ahead the rock became two columns of stone pillars, stretching to a large, round hole in the ground, big enough to fit a house in, a hole that was filled with a green fog.
"This is the End of the World." Radian said softly. "This is where the worlds that have been destroyed end up." he gestured around us. "Each stone slab is all that is left of a world that has been destroyed by the demons. Had the Dreadlord's plan not been stopped, our world would be yet another stone slab." He pointed farther ahead to the pit and columns. "There's the entrance to the World Between the Worlds. It is made up of portals that the Dreadlord's use to travel through the worlds. Somewhere there we should find the portal to the world of the Dreadlord's." He glanced at me. "The World Between The Worlds is very dangerous: there exist the lost souls of the undead that the Dreadlord's command. They will try to kill us."
"Don't worry about them." I said, wiping the blade of Shear on my forearm to give it a taste of blood, making it urge for more. "Not even a spirit can stand against the Night Angel." I glanced at him. "And Night Wraith."
He gave me a grim smile. "Indeed." We began walking towards the columns, careful to avoid any world remains. "If our world had been completely devoid of life, the Dreadlord would have been able to summon the demon lord who made him into a Dreadlord, to complete the destruction of the world. He would reduce the entire world to rubble and ash, until all that was left was a stone slab like this, a grave marker. Were our world here, we would se an aura around the stone, which symbolizes the lives that we knew there."
By this time we had reached the columns. "Is this pit the portal to the World Between the Worlds?"
"Yes." Radian nodded. "That is the way we are supposed to go."
"Then let's go." I said, and we jumped down the pit.
We landed in a large room whose far end stretched far out of our vision. There were large circular holes in the walls, some filled with darkness, some with light. And surrounding us, lining the walls of the chamber, were semi-transparent figures. They were of every type, man and beast. These were the souls of the undead that Radian had warned me of!
Shear gleamed in an unnatural light. As the glow illuminated the room, I saw another opening in the wall, one that was shaped like a sword, but blocked with some glowing substance. Suddenly a spirit flew at me from the side, and I lashed out with Shear. Battle was joined. As we dealt final death to these tormented souls, I noticed that with every spirit I slew a little bit of the glowing substance that blocked the door was removed, and a little more pure darkness was exposed.
"Hey!" I yelled to Radian over the melee, "Any idea which one of these doors leads to the world of the Dreadlord's?"
"We're looking for the door to Oblivion Abyss." He yelled back, impaling a spirit and flicking it off again. "That big door at the end of the hall."
"The one that's blocked off?"
"Yes, but if we kill enough of these spirits it'll open." He paused to slice a spirit in half. "I hope."
"So I suspected."
The door was now open enough to slip through. Radian watched my back as I squeezed through the opening, then pulled him in after me. Inside, there was nothing: just a frozen path surrounded on all sides by nothing at all, and a gigantic white doorway that seemingly led to nowhere. We were in Oblivion Abyss.
The icy path stopped after going a ways forward, turning into a round platform suspended over the inky blackness. Suddenly, Radian gripped my shoulder and pointed.
There, floating out in the abyss was a demon lord, gigantic, hideous and evil, chained to the icy pathway. Standing before him was the Dreadlord of Silence. The demon stood as tall as a building, and its mouth was as huge as a tunnel.
The Dreadlord spoke. "I do not know how you managed to get by the spirit warriors in the World Between the Worlds." He frowned. "Obviously I underestimated you. I will not make that mistake again." Darkness sparked in his hands, and they grew into huge, clawed, metal talons. "I don't suppose you remember where I got the name Talon. It's because of this!" He swiped at me at blurring speed, and I only barely managed to block the strike. Had not Shear been what it was, I would have died. Then Radian attacked him, slashing with the power of darkness. I followed suit, only my sword glowed with the power of the light. It was Darkness and Light uniting to end a common foe.
Radian's blade broke through the guard of the Dreadlord's talons, snapping through metal and flesh. The Dreadlord retaliated by summoning a large reaping scythe. I noticed an inscription on the blade: Reaper. He swung it in deadly arcs and slashes, and even dealt me a small cut on my shoulder. Then he merely stretched out his hand, and we were thrown to the ground, with the point of his reaper's blade.
"A pity," He sighed. "I thought you would last longer then this. I was hoping for a good fight!"
"You've got more then a fight." I muttered, and I slammed my blade into his chest. Immediately pure darkness crackled up the blade and blasted into the Dreadlord. Radian had not been idle.
The Dreadlord stood there with my sword in his chest. "Very good. But you cannot kill me. The demonic forces that inhabit me have made me impossible to kill by normal means."
"He's right." Radian said with a sickening look.
"What did you expect? To change the fate of an entire world? You of all people should know that, Aran." The Dreadlord spoke in that silk voice that I hated so much.
"I had to try!" Radian yelled. "There would be no honor in not attempting to save it!"
"What are you saying?" I said to my brother, incredulous. "That you knew this was going to happen?"
Radian looked torn with sorrow. "Seeing souls isn't my only power. I have the ability to sense when something is about to expire. I sensed that this world would be ending soon, and that was part of the reason that I joined with the Dreadlord. I'm very sorry that I didn't tell you this sooner… I thought that there was a way… something that we could do to stop this…"
"See!" the Dreadlord cackled. "Are you even sure that you can trust your brother, Kylar?"
"Yes I can!" I snapped. "He is my brother, and blood is thicker then anything you could imagine!"
The Dreadlord snapped his fingers, and the chains holding the demon lord broke. "One sure way to ensure that you will not make it out of this place alive is to destroy where you came from. Arquis!" He called, pointing at us. "I have readied their world for destruction. Go now, and complete what you had me begin all those years ago!"
The demon lord laughed, then spoke in is sepulcher voice. "You have served me well, Dreadlord. But in order to destroy this world I will need a sacrifice of great power. I believe you will suffice!" With that, he grabbed the Dreadlord in his fist and plunged him into his mouth, chomping down on him. The blood from the Dreadlord flowed out from between his teeth.
"You see," the demon lord Arquis spoke to us, "Talon Dreadlord was an ambitious man; too ambitious. Once he had destroyed your world he would have been able to summon the powers that had once inhabited it in order to try and destroy me. I have disposed of the traitor: he and I are one now. So, in essence, I am the Dreadlord. And thanks to my work, now I will have your world!" With that, he swooped out of the door that we had entered the realm through.
"The fool…" the body of the Dreadlord gasped as it fell to the frozen path beneath us, "my death is only temporary. Once a Dreadlord always a Dreadlord. We cannot die." The mangled body rose, glaring at me and my brother and for the first time showing an emotion. "this isn't over. You and I still have a score to settle. But next time, it will not end this way." He disappeared through a portal of darkness.
"Our world!" I cried. "Vi is there! We have to stop him!"
"Let's go." Radian yelled, running headlong through the World Between the Worlds and heading for the hole in the roof. We vaulted into it, but something grabbed my ankle and dragged me back. The spirits!
Radian grabbed my hand and pulled hard. "We don't have time to kill these spirits! We must stop the demon Arquis!"
It was a vicious tug of war, with me as the rope and with time of the essence. In a desperate stroke, I let go of Radian and allowed myself to be pulled down.
"Go without me!" I yelled. "I'll hold these spirits off and be with you as soon as I can escape! We can't waste time!"
Radian looked torn with indecision. He gave me a last look, and turned to leave after the demon lord.
"Come on." I spoke to the spirits that closed in on me. "Come and have a dance with death, you who have given yourselves to the Dreadlord. Let my blade kiss you to sleep, the long sleep of death that will finally free you from this false embodiment. Allow me to free you into your eternal slumber."
"I would like to see you try." A voice emanated from the crowd. That voice was… familiar.
"Hello… Kylar!" Illidan Flamewheel stared out at me. "They executed me because of your false accusation. If it were not for you, I would be alive right now enjoying the spoils of worlds, and instead I sit here, languishing as an undead. However, instead of attempting revenge, which would be futile, I am forgiving you for your deluded ways and giving you a chance to atone for your past mistake." He lifted a skeletal Charkam. "Please, if we ever were on the same side then kill me now, and end my misery."
I was overcome with a wave of compassion for this man. He was a valiant fighter and completely loyal to any cause he was with. Were he on our side he would have been invaluable.
"I will, Illidan, but only if you put down your Charkams." I was still cautious.
"Fair enough." He placed the fiery weapons on the floor of this world that was not a world, and stepped forward. With one smooth thrust, I stabbed him through the chest, whispering: "I forgive you. Rest in peace."
"Thank you… Arc Caster." He said with his labored breath. Then a look of incredible satisfaction came over him. "The lights… can you see them? They're coming." He looked into my eyes. "You were a noble friend before you turned. I want you to know that you have done something that all of the order had wished to do but were too afraid. You must attempt to avenge what he has done to us. Do not dishonor me by dying without a good, hard fight."
"I don't plan to die." I said softly to my dying friend.
"No one can kill a demon." He sighed. "But if there ever was a pair who could do it, it would be you and Radian. Make me proud." He shuddered and went limp. His last words were: "My name... it is Teranus Regalia…"
"Sleep well, Illidan Flamewheel... Teranus Regalia." I closed his dead eyes with my fingers. "The enemy can't hurt you now."
I stood, saddened by the death of my enemy and my friend. Then I thought of the other spirits here. "Is there anyone else who would want release from this prison?" I called to the still spirits.
There was a chorus. Everyone wanted to die here. My heart wept for these people who had been kept from their final rest by the evil schemes of the Dreadlord and his demon master.
How can I help these tortured souls and still get to Radian in time? I thought. Then my body seemed to glow.
That's it! I realized. These shadows are created by darkness. Destroy the darkness binding them to this place, and their souls will be free!
Reaching down into the depths of my heart, I summoned every ounce of light that I had. Then I spoke into the crowd.
"I forgive you. Be at peace."
Immediately beams of light shot out from me in every direction, destroying shadows that cried for joy. In seconds there was nothing in the room except me and the portals. I nodded to the empty room, my heart telling me that I had done the right thing. Then I turned and sprinted for the End of the World.
I arrived at the portal back into Masolium, my home world, but there was nothing there. In its place was a flat, smooth stone slab, with sparkling lights dancing around it. Radian lay prone in front of the slab, crying on his knees, and a still female figure in front of him.
"I… I'm sorry." He said, crying. "I couldn't save her."
I ran up to him, a sick feeling growing inside. Please… Not Vi…
"Vi! Wake up!" I cried, tears forming. Then, when she didn't respond, I knew it was futile. Vi, my love, was dead.
My world had been destroyed.
Vi was dead.