So here's the thing. Notice that |text| like that are toughts of the protagonist. "text" like that is what he speaks.
The Last Battle
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|It cannot be in vain. I have sacrificed too much to let it slip away like this!|
“You, make sure they won’t pass. We must hold the bridge until I can finish what I’ve began.”
As we descended the hill with the 3rd army I began to wonder why had we ever gone to this forsaken land. Nuldanen believes that the enemy will surely want to secure this bridge. But for what purpose I cannot tell. If we still had control of Covenant or Tyr then maybe it would have a meaning. Both of these cities fell to Harkoth 12 years ago. I still remember the raging battle. I was sure of out victory until a slim figure appeared in the fray. At first none noticed him but after our troops froze on the battlefield it was clear one of the Damned was personally attending the battle. Now I know it was The Watcher. An old enemy of the light. Supposedly he was killed by Alric the hero of the Great War 1000 years ago. But from his image alone our Avatara could tell it’s him. From what I’ve heard he was killed by his own hand. But what’s that supposed to mean or even how is unknown to me. I wish we had the knowledge Alric had when he faced the Dark. Although the Cath Bruig was rebuilt into its former glory, we lost all of our knowledge in the process. The only people who remembered those times were the Heron Guard, but as if our enemy knew this they were the first to be killed by the enemy. Only a few remain and those who do are from the younger ranks. The night is falling and we will arrive at the bridge tomorrow. I only hope that this time Nuldanen will be proven wrong.
|If I can’t get that forsaken stone then no one will. The plan is working for 1000 years, it can’t be ruined now!|
“Make sure they won’t get through until I’m done. If they get too close destroy the bridge!”
We arrived at Hurgon’s bridge early in the morning. It was still dark when we saw movement beyond the bridge. Ether we found some survivors, what from the start of the war never happened, or the enemy got here first. We approached the bridge and noticed a sword swinging at the ropes that held the bridge still in one piece. It is a wonder it has survived this long. It would seem we won’t be crossing today. Although the enemy stopped us from advancing they did not seem interested in fighting. I have never seen something like this before. When Nuldanen arrived later in the morning he got very angry at us. When I tried to pry some information out of him he just told me that I would know by now should we get across the bridge and secure it. His attitude is getting worse each day from the time Llancarfan has fallen. I can hardly blame him. It would seem we will try to build a provisory bridge over the day and cross it as soon as possible. Whatever is beyond must be very important…
*Clamp* *Boom*
|Finally!|
“Give it to me. We are leaving now.”
It took us 4 hours to make the bridge. Nuldanen was angry as hell and even more when we found that hole in the ground. I still don’t know what we were looking for. But the enemy left just before us. We’ve seen the last part of their group. We’ve seen about 20 men and some other creatures which I don’t know what are. Nuldanen gave the order to chase them down and kill every one of them. He said that should we find a red stone on one of the corpses we must bring it to him immediately. At least now I know it’s a stone of some sort. If it is the stone I think it is then maybe it could help us turn the tide of the war. After all Alric used it to kill Balor. Maybe we could destroy Harkoth with it.
|They think they can get it from me. But I don’t want to kill them. That would be useless. I must find a way to elude them. Maybe I should leave the men here to face them and I could escape unnoticed.|
“Stay here and face them. Herod, you are going with me!”
Chasing them was not a difficult task. It would seem they stopped to face us. I wonder why. Although there were only about thirty of us they haven’t fought too well. I wonder who they were. They looked like beggars to me. Men with strapped pieces of cloth on them fighting like if asleep. We killed all of them, but we didn’t find the stone. After searching the battlefield for the third time Nuldanen gave the order to return northward to Madrigal. I think our failure to retrieve the Eblis Stone crushed all of his faith in our victory. It was bad enough when the Cath Bruig fallen. So here we are exhausted and broken heading back to the city where our armies will surely face Harkoth and loose. I wonder if it makes any sense to write this journal. Should he win there will be no one in the world to read it…
|Now to prepare the thing. I hope he will react accordingly. Although I know his mind well enough he has proven to be very clever in the past. My only chance of success is that he doesn’t know of my existence yet. I made all the changes to the codex accordingly. No one in this world should know about me.|
“You will have to use the stone to stop The Watcher. With it you should be able to kill him. And Herod, do not fail me!”
The march was long but we didn’t meet a single enemy. I wonder where they all went. It was like hell a month ago and now not a single Thrall to face us. One even begins to wonder if Harkoth hasn’t found some part of goodness in him. All the Avatara have arrived at Madrigal now and Nuldanen is giving orders and preparing for the last battle. We received bad news from the North just as we arrived. It seems that Tandem has fallen. One of the Damned crossed the mountains through the Ermine into Tandem and crushed all the remaining forces there. I should feel privileged by now. I am among the few who are now in the last standing city in the known lands. The only good news so far is that Eniumar one of the Avatara has returned safely from Forrest Heart and even brought with him fifty Forrest Giants. Although the power of these towering giants is great not a thousand of them could stand in Harkoth’s way.
|I hope the Codex was right. The timing must be precise. I cannot miss it nor can’t I go too soon. After all that has happened it would seem ironic that I’m the one to save the world now.|
I had a chance to speak with one of the Giants last night. When I asked them why they came after all the time they said that the time to break the Cycle is now. Ether we win and live in peace forever or loose and doom this world to Nyx. I cannot say that I understood a word from what he said but I’m grateful for their presence. Even Nuldanen’s melancholy has lifted after he seen the Giants with us.
It seems strange that after almost two months from the fall of Tandem we haven’t heard of the Dark once. Some were even brave enough to go and find out what happened. But none of them returned.
We were wrong. Harkoth has no goodness in him. Today morning his undying army arrived before the Gate of Storms and a great battle began. I have slain at least 10 Thrall myself. But the situation is grim. They’ve broken through the gate and it seems nothing will stop them now. 14 of the Avatara are dead now and only Nuldanen and two others remain. We are retreating towards the port. Should it go on like this we will have to abandon the mainland and hope that we find another land without the Dark that has destroyed our own. The forest giants are all dead now. I’ve seen the last of them fall to one of Harkoth’s generals’ magic.
|Now is the time… how was it? Ah…|
“Bring me to the Darkness so that I shall return the Light”
We are being pushed to the port. Nothing can save us now. I wonder if I’ll get on one of the boats or not. Not that it matters now. But wait a minute what is that?
|Praise Mazzarin. He was right!|
Harkoth: You! You should be dead! It has been written! How is this possible?
“So Alric we meet again! It is sad to see you on the side of Dark after all you’ve done to destroy it”
Harkoth: Enough of this. What do you want? Why have you came Myrdred?
“I have come to break the cycle Alric. I’ve come to reunite the one dream”
Harkoth: Ha! You cannot have the power of the one Dream. Watcher! Destroy him and claim your revenge!
Bahl Al: With pleasure.
“Herod! Now!”
What I saw next was something I will never forget in my life. The Shade that arrived with the slim figure approached Watcher and from his pack took the Eblis Stone we were looking for. From what I heard Watcher was undefeatable by magic. But the stone rendered him powerless and he was killed by only a few swift blows. From the look on Nuldanen’s face I knew he didn’t know anything more about what was happening than me.
“It would seem your dog is dead Alric! Why don’t you do the dirty work yourself for once!”
Alric: You pathetic old man! How dare you challenge me? I’ll make sure you suffer for that!
And after that the battlefield changed into a glowing blue and we could see all kinds of magic going and firing between Alric and Myrdred. It was sure though that Myrdred would loose. The dream duel went on for 3 hours. When the blue haze lifted I saw Myrdred at his knees. Clutching a small box in his hands.
Alric: So you were more powerful than I thought! But only I have the power to unite the one dream! Only the leveler can do that!
“Yes, Alric you have. And you have saved humanity once more!”
Alric: No! Impossible!
Light. It was all light when the battle ended. And when we could see again there were no Thrall or Myrmidons, no Myrdred and… no Alric. And then there was a scream of death as the god Nyx died in agony and Wyrd renewed the world as it was before. And so I leave this journal as the bible of new beginning for all those that would learn from it.
