Without any magic or magical weapons, Leinad, Gyr, and Irya were all but helpless to stop Morath, and he swept them aside one at a time with ease. Irya was the last, and to her he said, “You were even easier to smash than your friends on the Council.” She struggled to attack the shadow, but the magical restraints he had placed on her kept her from doing so.
At last, only two remained in the little room: Morath and Septimus Merlinsson. Until this point, the alchemist had chosen not to interfere with the conflict, other than putting a magical cage around the Well to prevent the shadows from getting out after Graylin was smashed and her defense ended. Now, the time for action had come.
Morath began to talk as he sauntered over to Septimus, “I hear you’re old.”
“Not quite as old as you.”
“And powerful.”
Septimus did not reply. Morath reached him, extending a finger towards the red jewel set in the forehead of the alchemist’s mask, coming almost close enough to touch it. “Interesting.”
“You smashed my friend.” Septimus’s eyes remained locked on Morath’s, ignoring the extended hand.
“The witch?” The way he said it oozed contempt. “I was unaware one such as you had friends.”
“Very few, admittedly, but if any could be considered among them she was one.”
“Then I suppose we shall do battle. Have you a sword?”
Without speaking, Septimus drew an elegant, silver-bladed sword out of the air.
The swords clashed a few times and the alchemist said, “I will not toy with you. I have more important things to do today and little time for a minor annoyance such as you.”
Morath laughed, “Rather presumptuous, don’t you-?” He stopped laughing when his sword spun away, his hand still holding onto it, and his legs fell to the ground shortly before he did.
Septimus placed one foot on the shadow’s chest. “Your powers are nothing. You, are nothing.”
Morath looked up at the alchemist, fear in his glowing green eyes, “Who are you?"
Septimus leaned in close and whispered, “I am Septimus Merlinsson. I am a god.” He drove his sword home and the thousand-year-old shadow at last was smashed.
I'm on chapter 231 now, give me a couple more reading sessions and I'll have it done.
RuleJJ, I am simply astounded on the level of detail you have, and how every character keeps coming back in. I CON only imagine the time and effort you had to put into this work.
Wincing, Skrag straightened his legs and shuffled over to the side of the mountain, intending to lean against it and rest. Before he arrived, though, he felt something smooth and hard under his foot. It was Zelfern’s stone, the one he had stolen from Septimus, the one that had enabled him to smash so many people. Angrily, Skrag slammed his foot onto it, meaning to destroy it once and for all. It came away undamaged. Thrice more and still nothing. At last, the half-breed leaned, down, picked it up, and hurled it as far as he could into the mountains. If it didn’t shatter when it hit the ground, at least it might be hidden from any who wished to use it.
His tasks finally complete, Skrag rested. He looked up into the deep blue sky and he was at peace. The pain in his side had gone strangely numb, his whole body had. He felt weightless, lightheaded, free. A darkness entered the sky at the corner of his vision. A flock of birds? No, a flock of people, people with wings. Terra’s Falkrions. They were beautiful. Skrag smiled. He would have to meet them when he got down from the mountains. He couldn’t wait to see Terra again, and Hithrol, and Olifin, and all the rest. He hoped someone would find him soon. He was so tired. Skrag closed his eye. So tired. The shadows called to him, and he fell away into the void.
Far below, Legolie and the Elves busied themselves cleaning up the aftermath of the battle. As they dragged the bodies to the pits, Legolie came across the one she had most hoped never to see. Link’s face was gone, but his clothing was unmistakable. She stared at him for a long time. When at last the Elven Queen returned to the waking world, she found Jayden and Caisara standing by her. The dragon-slayer spoke. “We’re going to go now. It’s time for us to move on.”
“Wait. I want you to do one thing first.” Caisara nodded her agreement, and Jayden followed suit. “I need you to climb up that mountain and find whoever it was that made that scream. I think it may have saved all of our lives.”
Jayden and Caisara did as she said, but by the time they got there it was too late. Five bodies lay on the mountain, and no one to say what had happened there.
This is by far the longest, deepest, and most thoroughly well-written story I have ever read on here. It rivals Lord of the Rings for depth and lore, while at the same time keeping an interesting and intriguing plotline going. Skrag was an amazing main character, and many of the supporting cast were equally enthralling.
The amount of characters was pretty overwhelming, but as I discovered diving deeper into this, that's part of your writing style. I'm truly in awe of how your characters kept coming back around, CONnecting in ways I would've never imagined.
I read part of this previously on the old MBs, but deciding to start back over at the beginning was a wise choice on my part. It let me fully immerse myself in this story, instead of grasping for lost threads. It was way better than remembered, which I think is mostly due to me sitting down and reading more of it at a time. It's hard to appreciate a work like this in small segments.
I saw that you plan on not CONtinuing the story. If you ever change your mind, I'd love to read the sequel.
And man, that ending. It's gonna run through my mind on repeat for a while.
Wincing, Skrag straightened his legs and shuffled over to the side of the mountain, intending to lean against it and rest. Before he arrived, though, he felt something smooth and hard under his foot. It was Zelfern’s stone, the one he had stolen from Septimus, the one that had enabled him to smash so many people. Angrily, Skrag slammed his foot onto it, meaning to destroy it once and for all. It came away undamaged. Thrice more and still nothing. At last, the half-breed leaned, down, picked it up, and hurled it as far as he could into the mountains. If it didn’t shatter when it hit the ground, at least it might be hidden from any who wished to use it.
His tasks finally complete, Skrag rested. He looked up into the deep blue sky and he was at peace. The pain in his side had gone strangely numb, his whole body had. He felt weightless, lightheaded, free. A darkness entered the sky at the corner of his vision. A flock of birds? No, a flock of people, people with wings. Terra’s Falkrions. They were beautiful. Skrag smiled. He would have to meet them when he got down from the mountains. He couldn’t wait to see Terra again, and Hithrol, and Olifin, and all the rest. He hoped someone would find him soon. He was so tired. Skrag closed his eye. So tired. The shadows called to him, and he fell away into the void.
Far below, Legolie and the Elves busied themselves cleaning up the aftermath of the battle. As they dragged the bodies to the pits, Legolie came across the one she had most hoped never to see. Link’s face was gone, but his clothing was unmistakable. She stared at him for a long time. When at last the Elven Queen returned to the waking world, she found Jayden and Caisara standing by her. The dragon-slayer spoke. “We’re going to go now. It’s time for us to move on.”
“Wait. I want you to do one thing first.” Caisara nodded her agreement, and Jayden followed suit. “I need you to climb up that mountain and find whoever it was that made that scream. I think it may have saved all of our lives.”
Jayden and Caisara did as she said, but by the time they got there it was too late. Five bodies lay on the mountain, and no one to say what had happened there.
This is by far the longest, deepest, and most thoroughly well-written story I have ever read on here. It rivals Lord of the Rings for depth and lore, while at the same time keeping an interesting and intriguing plotline going. Skrag was an amazing main character, and many of the supporting cast were equally enthralling.
The amount of characters was pretty overwhelming, but as I discovered diving deeper into this, that's part of your writing style. I'm truly in awe of how your characters kept coming back around, CONnecting in ways I would've never imagined.
I read part of this previously on the old MBs, but deciding to start back over at the beginning was a wise choice on my part. It let me fully immerse myself in this story, instead of grasping for lost threads. It was way better than remembered, which I think is mostly due to me sitting down and reading more of it at a time. It's hard to appreciate a work like this in small segments.
I saw that you plan on not CONtinuing the story. If you ever change your mind, I'd love to read the sequel.
And man, that ending. It's gonna run through my mind on repeat for a while.
Thank you. That honestly means a lot to me. I don't think there's time in my life right now to write more, but perhaps some day.
This is by far the longest, deepest, and most thoroughly well-written story I have ever read on here. It rivals Lord of the Rings for depth and lore, while at the same time keeping an interesting and intriguing plotline going. Skrag was an amazing main character, and many of the supporting cast were equally enthralling.
The amount of characters was pretty overwhelming, but as I discovered diving deeper into this, that's part of your writing style. I'm truly in awe of how your characters kept coming back around, CONnecting in ways I would've never imagined.
I read part of this previously on the old MBs, but deciding to start back over at the beginning was a wise choice on my part. It let me fully immerse myself in this story, instead of grasping for lost threads. It was way better than remembered, which I think is mostly due to me sitting down and reading more of it at a time. It's hard to appreciate a work like this in small segments.
I saw that you plan on not CONtinuing the story. If you ever change your mind, I'd love to read the sequel.
And man, that ending. It's gonna run through my mind on repeat for a while.
Thank you. That honestly means a lot to me. I don't think there's time in my life right now to write more, but perhaps some day.
No problem, it was an honor. If that day ever comes, let me know.
Yes, yes he is. 
