Epilogue: Damned But Not Lost

The night sky streamed in through the fortress window, barely lighting the dark brick that surrounded them. Changing winds howled against the stonework as a storm system began to creep in through the Shadefel.

Stahl cracked a few stiff joints while he walked.

It'd taken them a few days, but they'd finally regrouped from their last failed raid—the one he'd been humiliated in and forced to make the long retreat back with Rathgara. Though they certainly hadn't recovered. Not in any meaningful way.

Sure, most wounds had been healed, and plans had been rearranged since then, but with how terribly things had ended up, they'd been set back far too much.

They'd lost many lives, a powerful relic, and on top of it all had to deal with the disappearance of Reathe. Yet from what they all expected, perhaps the half-elementaling would still show up somehow. Their sparrows had managed to make it back to tell the council of what'd happened, so it wasn't completely out of the question.

For now though, they couldn't just dally, not when there was so much left to do. It almost reminded him of when they'd first begun this initiative. Just a few disillusioned souls rallying beneath the banner of a former hero of this world.

Stahl let the memory slip away as the present came back.

His steps echoed down the hall while he dragged a 'special' captive behind him: a contingency and new key aspect in their final plan's preparation, and something of a consolation prize for their failed efforts to get either worldwalker. 

"You foul beast! Release me immediately! This is beneath my pride as a knight-earl! It was already bad enough you entrapped me in that damned dark dungeon!"

The minotaurus ignored the devil-pig's posturing as he nursed the growing ache in his head. He would've honestly preferred dying against that retiree 'Vice-Captain' and twinkish worldwalker than listen to this prick. He'd somehow become even more annoying since he'd been captured—an achievement in of itself.

Judan had once had some sort of twisted bearing and pride, but it'd degraded since he'd been dragged from the rubble, restrained, and then eventually thrown into a cell. Now all that was left was this hollow mess that kept threatening him while stinking to high hells.

He spared the most unamused of glances at the wretched man wearing cratered-in gold armor. Long blonde locks were tangled around him in a mess, and his purple eyes looked dulled even beneath the moonlight. It was hard to imagine that he'd once been the leader of Glory Brigade—even more that he'd once been an actual threat.

"The dukedom will gut you like a fish," the annoyance continued in a delusional-haughty tone. "Or should I say 'butcher like livestock' instead? I feel like minotaurus aren't too far off from them considering your kind's intelligence."

Stahl let out a snort at the pathetic drivel. He'd have smashed this waste-of-breath into a puddle had it not been for his 'importance'.

Why did Rathgara have to notice divine essence in this one of all people during their retreat?

"…" Though perhaps he shouldn't be acting picky. It was a stroke of luck they'd even realized it at all. Unlike the devil-pig's stolen strength through his relics, this one's potential for the artifact wasn't anything to dismiss.

Stahl rumbled out a sigh.

"Are you listening to me, cow? Break these chains off now!" The man flaunted his muscles like some braindead barbarian. "I challenge you to a duel. Accept it on your honor! Unless you're scared, that is."

Stahl ignored him again, focusing on more important things. Like trying to navigate their compound to get to the artifact.

"Damn thing is built like a maze," he grumbled. 

It'd been years since they'd captured this place, yet he still had trouble getting around.

"Stop ignoring me!" the lower-than-insect suddenly spat, jostling his bonds in defiance. "Or do you just not understand the common language? Cow, imbecile, ignoramus, monstrosity, aberrat—"

Stahl smacked him with the back of his hand, and a few teeth clattered loose to the ground.

"D-did you just slap me?" Purple eyes widened in shock. "Don't you dare treat me like some lowly bitch—"

The minotaurus smacked him again, this time into the wall with a resounding thud.

"That title belongs to one of my last opponents, devil-pig. You're not strong enough to warrant that. Now quiet and keep walking unless you want to be dragged along the floor."

He didn’t wait for the guy to respond, just yanked him by the chains around his neck. It got a satisfying choking sound out of the man, but Stahl's enjoyment quickly paused with a question to himself.

"…" Wasn't he being hypocritical now? His family had more or less been tugged around like this for gladiator matches, right?

A flash of lightning brought with it a few memories of whips, chains, and the smell of blood.

Bah. Stahl shook his head once the stupidity settled. He wouldn't waste any moral quandaries on a less-than-rat. Besides, he'd already known what he'd been getting into when he'd agreed to join this movement. There was no earning their freedom by 'playing nice'.

The minotaurus tugged the chain one more time just because he could to make a point to himself, getting a very audible choking sound out of the man.

"Gwawk!"

Stahl grinned.

Oh, that was cathartic. Rather fun too.

It wasn't much longer until they'd arrived at their destination, a terrace that hung off the citadel and provided a view of the Shadefel. The storming sky above them crackled as a low hum emanated from the artifact that was waiting in the center.

Including him, two of the high leadership were now present: Celeandra and Rathgara. It was a shame Frivera and Whisper wouldn’t be here to witness this. However, they were needed elsewhere at the moment. If this succeeded, they would have a proper contingency to put into motion.

"I see you've arrived, Stahl." Celeandra's voice drifted in amongst the wind. "Are you prepared for the change of fate? The starting destruction of this world's shackles?"

Stahl grunted in affirmation. "Indeed. Now where do I put the one behind me? My eyes hurt from witnessing his face."

He noticed a few other unconscious subjects were already lined up circled in chains—a few townsfolks and a couple of nobles. The artifact floated above them, projecting magical conduits across polished stone. The twilight gem was imbedded within it now with ten thousand worthy souls and a menacing aura of darkness around it.

"Anywhere amidst the others." Celeandra motioned calmly. "Though perhaps Rathgara might know better. Could you lend her assistance by the way? I believe she might need it considering your last battle's wounds."

The tigrin blinked in surprise, still standing proud despite missing a hand.

"With all due respect, I have this under control, leader."

"…" Stahl stared at the woman finagle to set some runes with her single good hand despite the claim. Magic glowed around her claws while the steel hook that'd replaced her missing hand dangled awkwardly at her side completely unused.

Right. Under control.

He tethered the knight-earl's chain around a pillar before butting in to assist her.

"Here. Channel it through the metal like this using vita." He moved the prosthetic limb for her and toward the surface. "My kin used to have similar ones. Though yours is better than some rusty dagger strapped to a stump. Much more elegant like the woman it's attached to."

"!" Her silver fur bristled slightly alongside a tail flick, though she allowed him to guide her along.

Hmph. Still had it, he supposed, even after all these years.

"What are you doing?" the knight-earl suddenly interjected in with disgust. "Have you brought me along just to—"

*shink*

Celeandra's slashed her dagger across his face, cutting off his words. The binding magics grasped a hold of his soul, causing pain to shoot through his veins.

"Sleep," their leader uttered, and his head immediately lolled down before he could even scream.

"That's enough from him." She sighed. "Are we ready to begin our experiment?"

"Just about, leader." Rathgara finished the last rune beneath the unconscious knight-earl with Stahl's help, unphased by the devil-pig. "Though, may I ask you a question about it first?"

Celeandra raised a brow but nodded.

"You may proceed."

The tigrin gestured over toward the twilight gem.

"Are you certain this will even work if we can channel its power? Direct the retributionist to kill tyrants while sparing those that resonate with the worthy souls? Especially if they're against the duke-governor. Is there still a risk they can turn on us?"

Celeandra stood there for a long while, shadow covering her face.

"…Just like all artifacts, it's hard to say exactly, but collateral will happen regardless of our methods. The retributionist worked with the old worldwalkers against the demon lord. It will work so once again for us."

"I see…" Rathgara thought, looking at the artifact that seemed to absorb all light around it. "Then I trust your judgment, leader. You would know best considering your experience."

"Same," Stahl commented flatly, taking a step back to observe the upcoming spectacle. "Could we hurry now? I believe we've had enough ceremony."

"If there are no more objections," Celeandra replied calmly as an aura pulsed around her. "Now, step back as I test to see if this path holds promise."

Stahl and Rathgara nodded in understanding as she motioned with her dagger, and her eyes glowed with an eerie light.

"!" The artifact trembled for just a moment, eking out the slightest of auras.

They all stared at it in awe. That was more reaction than it'd ever had before. Sure, it wasn't anywhere near what they required, but that was better than nothing.

"So the descendants of worldwalkers really do have divine essence, just like Whisper overheard…" Rathgara trailed off as she looked at the bound captives. "Then if we were to capture enough of them, they could activate the artifact."

Stahl grunted as the glow faded. "It may take weeks or months though, not to mention the difficulty required."

Lightning flashed as Celeandra lightly smiled from beneath her hood.

"But that still means we can break the chains that hold us all before it's too late."