They were finally at the top of the tower. There was no turning back.

Kari and Midna found themselves within an expansive, circular chamber. The walls on the opposite side of the room immediately drew their attention. Bright glowing runes, reminiscent of the Twilight Realm, covered the walls. Three stood out in particular, arranged in an oblique triangular pattern. All three were shaped like shields. The two outside runes contained indentions shaped like hands as if something had once rested there. The center rune contained a round hole as if a head once rested there. It was almost as if something had rested there while watching over this room.

The air felt hallowed and ancient, like no one had disturbed this place for centuries. Although a battle raged on the other side of the tower walls, this room was silent except for a low, murmuring voice.

That voice belonged to Mudora, whom stood in the center of the room with his back turned towards them. He held his arms in the air, the sounds of his low chanting filling every part of the large chamber. The two froze where they were, unaware if the deity even noticed their presence.

A whirlwind of thoughts ran through Kari's mind. He had known this was coming, but now it was finally here. Was he truly ready?

His shoulders slumped as he beheld the massive room. Not only did its size and grandiose scale make him feel small and insignificant, but it made him question whether he should even be here at all. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he saw a massive pile of rubble in the corner.

Two massive mechanical hands lay sprawled out on the ground, damaged and malfunctioning. A large head with two distinct red eyes, a prominent nose, and a headpiece shaped like a cog rested atop the pile. A plume of smoke rose from the ruined creations. All three items looked to be of a technology beyond anything he'd ever seen. It was unknown what purpose they had once served. Perhaps they had once rested in the runes. Regardless, Mudora had made short work of them.

The scene struck a nerve deep within Kari, making him comprehend how vulnerable he felt inside. He remembered a time when he used to boast that he couldn't die until he fulfilled the role the goddesses had for him. The words now sounded foolish to him.

Sharlo's death had alerted Kari to the fragility of his life. His father had always been the leader of the village, always been the person he looked up to. Even when Kari's mother died and the war continued to drag on, Sharlo had always remained in control, had always stayed one step ahead of the enemy. He never showed any weakness, and in turn, never allowed Kari to show any either. The world couldn't seem to touch him.

But even a strong man like his father had descended the steps of madness until it finally killed him.

With his father's death, Kari had lost his last living link to Kasuto and the people of his era. With his last words, he had given his son a warning. Whether it was true or not, Sharlo had felt the danger it posed was so great that it justified killing his own son.

Kari's breath caught in his throat. He looked back to the light that had brought him here.

What if he wasn't supposed to be here? What if he should've gone back to the past instead? What if his sacrifice turned out to be in vain? What if he was actually aiding Mudora in the end?

Kari realized he would soon join his father. Win or lose, whether they stopped Mudora or not, his life would come to rest here. He'd come to terms with it as best he could, but he still didn't feel ready. He hadn't even said his goodbyes. He wouldn't get the chance. It was difficult to even step forward when it meant giving up everything and everyone he cared about.

He heard sounds come out of Midna's mouth. Was she speaking to him?

Kari snapped out of his thoughts. "What?" he asked softly.

"I said Mudora hasn't noticed us yet. We should figure out a plan while we have the chance." When he didn't respond right away, she scrutinized him carefully. "Kari, are you feeling okay?"

The Sheikah looked at the Twili. There was legitimate concern in her eyes. It reminded him of his own departed wife.

"Just thinking about death, Midna," he replied softly, looking away. "I've lost a lot of close friends over the years. Now my father is gone. It makes me wonder whether I'll survive this or not."

Midna took a deep breath. "I know what you mean. It can be difficult to endure. To be honest, I still have nightmares from time to time."

Kari nodded. "You and I have that in common then." He looked to make sure the deity was still preoccupied with his ritual. "Have you ever had a near-death experience?"

The Twilight Princess nodded slowly. "More than once."

The Sheikah leaned forward. "What was it like?"

Midna shook her head. "Now's not the time, Kari. We need to focus. We should come up with a plan while Mudora's distracted."

Kari folded his arms. He wasn't ready to fight just yet. Not when he could barely think straight. "Back in Holodrum you mentioned that Zelda once saved your life. Was that one of those times?"

The Twili nodded her head. "That's right."

"What happened?"

"Kari, I said now's not the time. Besides, it's a rather personal subject." Midna folded her arms. "I don't want to talk about it."

Kari frowned. "Midna, I watched as you killed my father. I didn't even stop you." The Twili flinched as Kari's words sunk in. "All I'm asking for is a simple answer to my question."

The Twili stepped away from the Sheikah and turned her back towards him. She sighed. "Why are you so interested in this all of a sudden?"

The Sheikah lifted the Wind Waker and turned it idly in his hand. "Because…I'm afraid of dying."

Midna's words escaped her. That was the last thing she had expected to hear. She cast another nervous glance in Mudora's direction. Kari couldn't have picked a worse time to lose his resolve.

She wanted to scream at him. They were in the same room as the enemy, and Kari had to choose this moment to get cold feet? Death was a real possibility for all of them. What made him so special?

The Twili took a deep breath and composed herself. The frustration was on the tip of her tongue but she had to contain it.

"Well, that was a surprise," she said, turning around to face him again. She was careful to keep her expression neutral. "I suppose it's only natural given our circumstances. But I'm afraid it's too late to have second thoughts."

Kari scowled. "I know that. Please don't question my resolve. I was just hoping your story would give me some peace on what to expect."

"But you've had a few near death experiences yourself, haven't you?"

Kari nodded. "Yes, but my circumstances are…somewhat different."

Midna took a deep breath. "Will this help you focus?"

"I think it will."

Midna placed her hands on her hips and leered at him. "This isn't an easy story for me to tell and we don't have a lot of time. I'm not going to waste my breath if this won't help you."

"I'm sorry. It will help me," Kari replied quickly. He placed a hand on his forehead. "I guess I'm not thinking straight."

"I just need you focused." Midna took another cautious glance in Mudora's direction. They were still undetected for the time being. "Anyway, here are the parts I'm willing to share. Zant tried to kill me by exposing me to the world of light. Since Link was stuck as a wolf and I was dying, Zelda was our only hope. If she couldn't help us, then all was lost. Without knowing if she could actually help us, Link carried me through the pouring rain and flooded sewers until we finally found her."

Midna paused for a moment. She could once again feel the rain against her back and Link's wet fur brushing up against her neck. Even telling the story in such a concise manner, she had to be careful not to reopen old wounds.

"In the end, she was able to heal me. I don't know exactly how she did it. All I remember is there was a bright flash of light and she was gone. Maybe she transferred her soul to mine until I was strong enough to recover." Midna shrugged her shoulders. "There's no way to know for sure. Either way, it was enough to save my life."

Kari scratched his chin. "Is it really possible for someone to transfer their soul to another body?"

Midna sighed. "Who knows? Like I said, it's just a theory."

The Sheikah was deep in thought. As he turned over her words, trying to find consolation in them, an idea struck him. His shoulders straightened.

"Midna, if I die, I need you to deliver a message to Zelda for me. Can I trust you with that?"

"Link and Zelda will be here soon," She looked behind her as if they might already be standing there. "No need to think about what we'll write on your tombstone just yet."

"Midna, this is serious."

"Fine, fine. What do you want me to tell her?"

He looked to Mudora. There was sweat dripping down his face now. "Tell her to fight on like my friend Sheik even when all hope is lost. He once risked his life for me. Although he is long gone, his spirit lives on inside me." He paused. "Will you deliver that message for me? It is imperative that she gets it if I cannot deliver it myself."

The Twili raised an eyebrow. "That's an odd thing to tell her."

"Just promise me you'll deliver it."

"I'll do what I can. But don't you think we have more important things to worry about?"

The chanting suddenly stopped. Midna and Kari tensed as an eerie silence suddenly filled the room. They both looked to where the deity stood.

Mudora looked right at them. "You made it. It is embarrassing to admit, but I was so lost in concentration that I didn't even hear you enter. I even began to worry that Sharlo had proven too much for the both of you, even after I took back my power from him." He looked to the pile of debris off in the corner. "Although the delay was unfortunate, it did give me time to deal with this room's guardian. The tower defenses aren't quite as strong as I would've expected."

Kari's hair stood on the back of his neck. There was something different about the deity. He had always had a commanding presence, but the very air around him now seemed to crackle with power. The scars on his face had also disappeared. Could they have healed that fast?

There was also something to be said of the confident smile he gave them. Mudora was rarely ever confrontational. The fact that he single-handedly disabled the tower's defense mechanisms told him that there would be no mercy for them either.

Kari scowled. "You don't seem too surprised to see us."

Mudora's smile only widened. "Of course. I'm the one who brought you here."

Midna scoffed. "You're awfully arrogant, aren't you?"

The deity arched an eyebrow and folded his sleeves across his chest. "It would only be arrogance if I were not speaking the truth."

"Relax, Midna. Whether he was expecting us or not, it doesn't change the reason why we're here," Kari said.

The Twilight Princess nodded. "Good point. We'll take him down just the same."

Midna's words caused the sage's smile to disappear. His footsteps echoed across the glowing, celestial-patterned floor as he approached them. "Do you really intend to fight me?"

Midna stepped back. "Of course! What choice do we have? You want to destroy everything we care about! Did you expect us to sit back and recline while you have your way?"

The sage shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I suppose not. But you know how much I despise violence. It would be much easier for both of us if you were to simply surrender. After all, neither of you can stop me."

Kari scowled. "And why's that?"

The smile returned to Mudora's lips. Rather than walking towards them, he cut left and began to walk around them. "I would be happy to explain if it will discourage you from fighting me. There are two key reasons." His finger listed the first reason. "The first is that Kari's wind magic won't work against me."

Midna nodded her head as if in a deep conversation. "Is that so? And I'm actually carrying a Goron on my back right now." Her eyes followed the leader of the sages as he passed in front of her. "I'm glad we were both able to learn something new."

Mudora stopped in front of them and looked expectantly to the wind tamer. "Kari, do you wish to refute my statement? I doubt she will take me at my word."

The Sheikah took a deep breath. His gaze remained on the scholar. "He's telling the truth, Midna. My wind magic won't work against him."

Midna leered at the Sheikah. "Do you think that would've been good to share with me before we charged up here?" She grunted her disgust. "So what are we supposed to do now?"

Kari avoided her gaze. "I'm still thinking."

Mudora resumed his circle around them. "That's only half the battle. Even if you could use wind magic, I am not the same as before."

"Are you waiting for us to ask why that is?" Midna asked with folded arms.

Kari leaned in and whispered in the Twili's ear. "Let's see if we can keep him talking. Hopefully we can stall him long enough for the others to join us."

Midna smirked. "It's about time you thought of something." She looked Mudora in the eye. "Well if you are, we don't want to disappoint you. Why don't you tell us about the new you? We'd love to hear about your new extreme makeover."

Mudora chuckled. "Witty as ever, Midna." He stopped once again, folding his hands behind his back as he faced them. "But sadly, this is no joking matter. You cannot win, no matter how long you stall for time. You see…up until this point, I have only had access to a fraction of my power. The rest of it was sealed away in the Underworld until only recently."

A shiver went up Kari's spine. "Until recently? Are you saying the seal has been broken?"

The deity nodded. "That's correct. This tower acts as the key to the seal separating your world from the Underworld. While you were busy fighting Sharlo, I managed to break the seal. Now that the barrier on my power has finally been undone, I am at full strength again."

Midna shook her head. "But that doesn't make sense. If you and your power were supposedly sealed in the Underworld, then how did you get free in the first place?"

Mudora sighed. "How can I explain it in a way you'll comprehend?" His brows scrunched thoughtfully as he searched for words. "I suppose I can compare your world and the Underworld to two cliffs separated by a large chasm. Normally, it is impossible to cross that chasm. However, if there is a link between the two worlds, something that spans that gap and connects both cliffs like a bridge, then it is possible to send small amounts of power across. It is very much the same concept as sending a small scouting party across a bridge instead of an entire army. The bridge can only support so much weight lest it collapses."

"In my case, that bridge was you, Kari. Before I was sealed away, I placed a small portion of my power inside the Book of Mudora in case I should need it. When Sharlo brought you to me at death's door, I instructed your father to transfer that power to you instead. Since you were on the verge of death and my power existed in both worlds, you became a link between worlds. As a result, I could use you to transfer some of my power to this world. The only step required to bring my consciousness from that world to this was for your father to initiate a spell. As I explained earlier, the bridge can only tolerate so much power, so I chose to send my consciousness across. The end result left me in a much weaker state than normal."

Midna's face turned pale. She looked at the Sheikah in disbelief. "You have Mudora's power inside you? Does that mean he's a part of you?"

Mudora nodded. "In a way, yes. That's what allowed him to use his wind magic in the first place. That's also why he can't use it against me now."

Kari's mind raced furiously, ignoring Midna's question. "Wait…but if I served as the bridge between worlds, why was my father able to pull you to this world even when I wasn't present for the ritual? And what happens now that the barrier is completely shattered?"

The deity continued his circular path around them. "It does not matter if you are present when the ritual is initiated. It only matters that your soul exists in this world, just as a bridge must exist but doesn't have to be aware that a person is walking across it. While you slept, I was unable to enter this world because your soul wasn't in this world. It was in a dream world." Mudora paused. "As for your second question, I'm afraid the chaos of the Underworld is now free to mingle with this world. Not that it really changes things in the end."

Kari's mind kept turning. "Then has this been your goal the entire time: to break the seal on your power and unleash the fury of the underworld?" His eyes widened in alarm. "Hylian Goddesses! You used us!"

Midna shot him a glance. "Kari, what are you talking about?"

"Midna, he wanted us to awaken the new sages! He wanted us to pursue him here so we could open the tower for him! Remember how we had to assemble all six sages just to get the door open? That must've been a safeguard to protect the seal!"

Mudora nodded. "Perceptive as usual. The Ancient Sages placed a seal on this tower so no one but them could enter. Even then, all six of them had to be present. They would never have helped me even had I threatened them. That's why I had to eliminate them. But since I still needed to gain entry, I had to awaken new sages as well. Since you were eager enough to do it for me, I let you go about your business, all the while keeping you in the dark of my true intentions."

Kari nodded. "It all makes sense now. That's why you never attacked us directly. That's why you healed Atrayu. I bet that's even why you sent Link to the dream world instead of killing him. So he would find the last instrument we needed."

Mudora stopped and raised his hands in the air as if he were checking for rain. "Your mind never ceases to amaze me, Kari! Correct on all accounts."

Midna shook her head. "I still don't buy it. After all, Zant and his monsters came after us constantly. Why would you purposely try and stop us from achieving your goal?"

Mudora looked at her inquisitively. "Did Zant ever succeed in stopping you?"

"Of course not! He didn't stand a chance against us."

"Then everything went as I expected. You see, the key to an effective illusion is to make it believable. If I had done nothing to try and stop your progress, you would've gotten suspicious. That suspicion could've destroyed my entire plan. So I sent Zant as a way to make you believe that I didn't want the sages awakened."

Kari looked down at his hands as if they were covered with blood. "I was just a willing pawn in all of this. I thought I was using my power to help people. Instead, I've brought about the very thing I tried to prevent." He clenched his hands tightly and looked up. "I'm done helping you, Mudora!"

Mudora pointed right at the Sheikah. "I have one more use for you, Kari. You're going to help me merge the Sacred Realm with this world."

The wind tamer bent his knees, preparing for a fight. He didn't like the twinkle in Mudora's eyes. "This must be what my father warned me about."

"I don't know what your father told you, but it very well could be. Although I am a First-Born and much more powerful than either of you, even I have my limits."

"And do you honestly expect me to help you willingly? Especially after everything you've just told me?" Kari asked.

The deity's hand returned to his side as a sinister smile came to his lips. "Of course I don't. That's why you won't have a choice in the matter."

Midna was glad to see the Sheikah finally finding his courage again. If they were to win this, they had to fight with conviction and aggression. She had a feeling Mudora wouldn't let them stall much longer. She looked back. Link and Zelda were nowhere to be found. She felt her heart sink when she realized they would be alone in this fight.

She looked back at Mudora. "If you plan to take control of Kari's mind, I know how to stop you. You can't control him and stop my attacks at the same time."

Mudora nodded in acknowledgment. "Normally, that would work. But this time, I intend to take complete control of his body." He glared at Kari. "My power has kept you alive this entire time. It's only fair that I receive my payment. Since my power already dwells within you, it won't require much effort to turn your body into an obedient puppet."

Kari scowled. "I've heard enough!" He pointed the Wind Waker at Mudora. "Even if I can't use your own power against you, I'll still find a way to stop you."

Midna glared at the Sheikah. "I thought we were waiting for Link and Zelda!"

Mudora chuckled. "So you were stalling for time? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid that your companions have more than enough to keep them busy. They won't be joining us anytime soon. I've seen to that."

Midna cursed beneath her breath. What else did this man have up his sleeve?

Mudora's words didn't seem to affect Kari. His entire body shook as he prepared to strike at the First-Born. Sweat dripped down his forehead. His heart pounded against his chest. Waiting would do him no good. It was time to act!

"Midna! Back me up!" he said as he bolted towards Mudora.

Kari's legs pounded against the floor as he bellowed a war cry. His goal was simple: create an opening for Midna. He didn't care how or what it would cost him. They had to stop this madman. Mudora casually watched the Sheikah approach, waving his hand only slightly in response.

A flash of light exploded around the Sheikah followed by a loud rushing like that of a waterfall. The explosion lasted only a second, but it was bright enough that Midna had to pull her eyes away. She feared to find only a pile of ash when she looked back.

To her relief, the Sheikah was still there. But he wasn't moving. He seemed to be frozen, as if held by the invisible clutches of time itself. Mudora held out his hand, causing the Sheikah to clutch his throat as if being choked. Kari fell to his knees; the Wind Waker dropped from his hand.

Mudora scowled. "I have no desire to fight you. I am ending it here. Your body is under my control now."

Midna's hands sparked with magic. "Not if I can help it!"

A swarm of shadow magic formed around the deity's leg and grabbed it. Mudora dispelled it with a wave of his hand.

"I suggest you stop before you make me angry," Mudora warned, casting a stern look in her direction. "I've already warned you that your power pales in comparison to mine."

Midna refused to give up. Looking at the pile of debris left over from the tower's guardian, an idea struck her. If she couldn't use her magic on Mudora directly, then perhaps she could use other objects instead.

The process of lifting the heavy hand-like object took all her concentration. She grunted and strained with the effort, her head pounding as she focused all her power on lifting it. At first, it didn't budge. But with a loud cry and a great release of energy, the large stone levitated off the ground. She panted as she moved the colossal structure in the right position. When it was finally where she wanted it, she hurled it through the air and straight at Mudora with all her might.

The deity stood his ground as the hand-like colossus hurtled towards him. With a wave of his hand, he sent a sharp current of air and sliced it in two. The whole chamber shook as the cleaved stone fragments fell to either side of him. His robes remained unsullied.

Mudora turned to look at her. "Are you done yet?"

Midna tightened her jaw as she stepped back. She had put all her strength into that attack! How was he able to brush it aside so easily? Fear bristled up her spine as she realized just how hopeless this fight was on her own.

Mudora sent a curtain of air that swept the Twili off her feet. She rolled with the impact as she hit the ground, careful not to crack her head open. The room spun in blurry wisps as she heard footfalls quickly approaching her. When her vision finally cleared, she saw Mudora standing over her, his hand inches from her forehead.

"It wouldn't take much effort for me to kill you." He looked her straight in the eyes, glancing only mildly at the nervous sweat pouring down her forehead. There was no mistaking the irritation in his voice. "Be grateful I have no such desire. However, if this futility continues any longer, I will not hesitate to turn you into a monster. My patience is limited. Do you really want your beloved Link to see a mindless beast the next time he looks into your eyes?"

She shook her head more out of instinct than anything else. That thought terrified her more than death.

"How…how can you control me so easily?" Kari's voice quivered weakly.

Mudora finally moved his hand away from Midna's face and focused his attention on the Sheikah. "I'm surprised you can even speak. Your resistance is commendable, even though it will accomplish nothing."

"But how?" Kari persisted.

"Do you remember how I transmitted my memories to you back in Death Mountain? How I established a link between our spirits so that my knowledge could pass to you? I also did that so I could control you when the need arose," Mudora explained.

Midna slowly got up. Mudora had hardly exerted any effort to stop her best attack. His power was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. Even Ganondorf's power seemed to pale in comparison.

"If you established the link back then, why didn't you just take over my body right away? Why leave anything to chance?" Kari asked.

"To be honest, I would have if I had had the strength. But even with the link, the strength of your soul was too strong for me to snuff out. Yet another reason I needed to recover my full power."

Kari cursed. "I…should have…never let you…touch me."

The sage shrugged his shoulders. "I would have found a way sooner or later. It was just more effective to let Link and the others drive you away from them. Your father only compounded the situation, filling you with more questions than answers. In the end, I was the only one left you could turn to."

"Midna…" Kari said weakly, "go find Link. We need his help."

"I can't leave you here!" she replied sharply.

"Go!" From his heavy breathing and the purple covering his cheeks, she could tell it was becoming harder for him to resist Mudora's influence. "Deliver my message!"

Midna knew they were hopelessly outmatched without the hero's help. But she didn't want to leave Kari here to die.

"Even if I wanted to, Mudora would never let me leave!" Midna protested.

Mudora folded his arms. "If you wish to leave, I will let you. I have no desire to hurt you as long as you stay out of my way. But know you will only buy yourself a little time. Once my plan is complete and the world is transformed, there will be no place to run from the savagery and madness that ensues."

Midna looked in Kari's eyes. He managed a solemn nod of affirmation. This needed to be done.

She lifted her hands in surrender and began walking towards the light that had brought her here. "Very well, I won't try and fight you. I'll leave in peace."

The words tasted bitter even as she said them. They felt like an admission of defeat. She wanted to stand and fight to the end more than anything. She wanted to wipe the smug expression off of Mudora's face. She was fully aware of the devious character hidden behind that placid smile. But there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing would be gained if she lost her life here. Finding Link and Zelda was the only chance they had to defeat Mudora and save everyone.

What stung more than her pride was that she was abandoning Kari to whatever fate Mudora had in store for him. When her kingdom was slaughtered, she had promised to never again let a friend die if she could stop it. Once again, she would have to break that promise.

Kari watched Midna's slow pace as she made her way towards the light that had originally brought her here. Just as he predicted, he would not be able to return with her.

She walked solemnly, her head looking at the ground like she was participating in a funeral procession. Her gaze only left the floor long enough to glance briefly at Kari. Her shoulders slumped, her hands at her side, her head downcast, the regal and proud manner with which she normally walked was gone. No wound on her body could compare to the grievous wound to her spirit.

As Midna disappeared in the light, Mudora locked his gaze on the Sheikah. Kari felt utterly and completely alone. It was almost overwhelming.

His mind recalled words the Ancient Sages had told him when they were first starting this journey. They had warned him not to let Mudora gain his power. The words now resonated with a whole new meaning.

"When he finds you, you will be faced with a choice: life or death. I can only pray you make the right one."

At the time, the obvious choice had been life. Now, as he fully understood the link between Mudora and himself, he realized he had been wrong. In order for Mudora to die, he had to die as well. If only he could figure out a way to make that happen.

Mudora walked over to Kari, forcing him to his feet with his power. "You are smarter than any of the others give you credit. You knew it would come to this, didn't you? You knew you would be powerless before me. No doubt you developed some way to counter it."

Kari scowled. "There are some paths of destiny even the Triforce cannot change."

The sage nodded solemnly. "Indeed there are. Well, let us hope that whatever you have planned works in your favor. Otherwise, this world will be a very dark place."

The Sheikah furrowed his brow. "You don't want to do this, do you? I can sense it through our connection."

Mudora seemed lost in thought. "Really? You can sense my emotions? That is a surprise. But I suppose it only makes sense given the nature of our connection." He looked back up at the Sheikah. "It doesn't matter what I do or do not want. Like you, I have a destiny I must fulfill."

"But you can stop this before it ever happens!" Kari protested.

Mudora shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot. I have a promise to fulfill." He looked up at the Sheikah. "After all, you understand what it is like to be among the last of your kind. You know what it's like to have the burdens of your people placed upon you."

"But…"

Mudora shook his head. "We have talked long enough. My preparations are nearly complete. Make your peace to the goddesses before you depart from this world."

Kari let out a sigh. So this is where it would all end.

The Sheikah recalled the life he had lived and the friends he had made: Colin's content smile as he drew in his sketch pad and Tifa's excited laughter as she used him as a horse. He recalled Ilia's affinity with the wild, Rishu's carefree songs, and Zelda's serene demeanor as they compared knowledge of ancient texts late at night, He remembered Midna's sarcastic comments and Link's dorky smirk every time he made a joke Kari couldn't understand.

They had changed him. They had become a part of who he was now. Through the time he spent with them, he came to learn that there were good people beyond the borders of his village. They taught him to trust, to enjoy the present, and even to understand "sarcasm." He had come to this age weary and suspicious of anyone not from his tribe. He would leave it full of the warmth these friendships had given him.

Although he dearly missed the people of Kasuto, these friends had made his life worthwhile. That's why he was not afraid to sacrifice himself so that they might live.

Kari felt Mudora's power flooding into his body, overwhelming his thoughts, taking control of his muscles. He resisted its influence despite recognizing the futility of the action. Darker and darker, deeper and deeper, his spirit descended until he no longer recognized where he was. His thoughts no longer belonged to him. His actions no longer belonged to him. Where there once was life, there was now an empty shell.

A light shone in the darkness, a gateway out of the underworld into the afterlife. Kari swam towards it like a man suspended in a dream, making little progress but determined to reach his goal. As he headed towards the light, he embraced the nothingness that consumed him.

A/N – I'm posting the first chapter for now. The next chapter should be posted in a few days. It's already written…just needs a few more finishing touches. Let me just say it's probably the most intense chapter I've ever written. You'll see why soon enough. Look forward to it soon!