The Final Battle

Wode was waiting for us when we arrived. He had amassed enough of his strength to take on a physical form outside the barrier. He looked fair and handsome, but with wickedness surrounding him, for he had bat-like wings, horns protruding from his forehead, and long, black hair. A dark aura emanated from him.

“Welcome, Ferdinand and company. I have been expecting you.”

I disembarked from Grimnir and drew my sword and readied my staff. Both overflowed with spiritual energy, fuelling me with the strength needed to send Wode back. He had tried to trick me into handing over my soul and attacked us several times, yet I held no animosity towards him. I simply needed to deliver the justice that was demanded.

I wasted no words and charged at him—intent to strike him down. The others were still assembling around the altar on the hill when numerous griffons, alps, tatzelwurms, and other vile creatures descended upon us.

“You’re a fiery one,” he said as he manifested a wicked blade in his hands and blocked my thrust. “My freedom is nigh. Once I have your soul, I will be whole once again and the world will be mine.”

He playfully swung his sword at me and I obliged him by deflecting it. I saw his small host of evil creatures had engaged in combat with everyone. Grimnir used his powerful beak to skewer enemies left and right. King Eulerich was busy fighting with griffons in the air. Luna and Marisa worked together to defend themselves from tatzelwurms and other creatures. It was a maelstrom of chaos.

“Don’t worry, I brought companions of my own to keep you lot company.”

“You’re gonna need more than that to keep us entertained.”

At my provocation, he swung his sword with more force. The strike sent shock waves down arm. I didn’t have the skill to fight on equal ground with him, so I needed to end this quick, but he was blocking all of my strikes with ease. It wouldn’t be enough strike him down, I had to sever his connection to me and this side of the barrier. I put some distance between us to observe him and see how my allies were doing.

Luna jumped up the hill and landed beside me, sword at the ready.

“Where’s Marisa?”

“My Lady has chosen to distract the enemy. Come, hero, let us send the based cur to hell!”

The clash of their swords echoed in the air. I dashed to Wode’s side and struck at him. What should have been a clean hit was swiftly blocked by the appearance of a second sword; golden and regal, the blade spoke with authority. We continued our assault, but everywhere our swords moved they were met with Wode’s blades. We retreated and reassessed our strategy.

I held the staff in my left hand, unsure of what to do with it. Previously focused on the fight, I now had time to focus on using the staff. I aimed it at Wode and thought of casting a fireball. Unfortunately, no fireball was cast. Wode had a confused look on his face during this action, but it was dropped as quick as it came. It was the middle of a battle and I didn’t have the luxury to experiment. I needed a decisive attack from the staff.

Luna and I rushed to close the distance, but Wode retreated to prevent himself from being surrounded. Luna attacked with a low strike and I brought my sword down from above. Wode blocked both strikes with ease, despite us trying to split his focus. A voice spoke to me, telling me to strike Wode’s side with the staff. I swung as hard as I could with my left arm. Upon contact, Wode’s exposed side burst into flames. He leapt back, crying in agony and striking nothing with his sword, which he swung without regard to form.

The flame strike had the opposite effect of weakening him. He became incensed, growing stronger as he drew more strength from his body behind the barrier. A flurry of sword strikes assailed us, driving us off the altar. A sudden strike with his foot connected with Luna’s abdomen and sent her flying.

“Now, where were we?”

He continued his assault with both swords. I was struggling to block the combined strikes of two swords, contorting my body to avoid every second strike. Just like he did to Luna, I took a boot to the stomach and keeled over. I could hear my defeat walking towards me, arm raised.

Marisa rushed in front of me to block Wode’s strike, calling forth her chains to restrain his sword arm and bind him.

“Do not think that trick will work on me again!”

He tore the chains off with ease. She summoned the chains once more, but he ignored them and strode forward as if they weren’t there. He then lunged at Marisa, pierced her shoulder, and raised his other sword to strike her down. I was in front of him in the blink of an eye, blocking his mortal blow. He withdrew his blade from Marisa’s shoulder and jumped back. I gave him no quarter.

We traded several blows. Each one of his became easier to predict as I accumulated battle foresight. But the fatigue of battle was catching up to me. I needed to incapacitate him because it wasn’t enough to anticipate his moves.

The staff grew hot as my anger boiled over. Michon, fuelled by his past regrets, poured his energy into the staff with me for the next strike. I swung my sword down, drawing Wode’s arm up and exposing his chest. The staff shot forward and stabbed him, resulting in a fiery explosion that sent him backwards. He struggled to his feet, glaring at me with murderous intent.

I raised the staff at him and shouted, “Halt!”

Wode froze where he stood. Wild bewilderment set in on his face as he strained his body to move. I closed my eyes and concentrated on what the divine objects were telling me. In my minds eye, a red string connecting me to Wode, and Wode to the barrier, appeared. I touched the string with the staff, igniting it.

The string burned from the point of contact, flaring out toward Wode, and to my chest. I opened my eyes as the burning string struck him. He convulsed in pain and cursed me.

“Our connection may be severed, but I will have your soul, Ferdinand.”

“I don’t know why you want it so bad—it’s not even the best one around.”

With the thread of fate that tied us together gone, I had precious few moments to cut the remaining link to the barrier. Marisa used her remaining strength to hold Wode’s arms and legs in place with her chains. I sprinted forward and ran him through with my sword. He let out a quiet gasp.

I circled around him where I found the red string tethering his body to the barrier. I struck it with the staff and invoked the will of flame to sever his connection to this side of the barrier for good.

“Aaaagh!”

His body was engulfed in flames. The flames burned brighter and brighter. They burned so hot that they turned white. The flames collapsed in on themselves, crushing Wode’s body, before exploding in a brilliant flash that blinded everyone.

Wode was no more.

The last evil creature was struck down and the battlefield went quiet.

 I then remembered that Marisa had been injured and ran to her side.

“Marisa, are you okay?”

“Be calm, Ferdinand. I will live. The wound is not earnest.”

Everyone else approached us on the altar, Luna rushing to Marisa’s side and tending to her wound.

“It’s done. He’s gone.”

“Gone? No, evil like that is never gone. He will continue to exist beyond the barrier, and he will return unless we seal it,” King Eulerich said. “Quick, let us perform the ritual and be rid of this menace.”

I stood before the alter, laying out the four divine objects.

“What am I supposed to do now?”

“Concentrate on the fissure in the barrier.”

I closed my eyes and focused.

“Now, place your hands on the altar and invoke the divine objects to repair the barrier.”

I did as he said, placing my hands over the altar.

“O divine objects, I beseech thee, repair the barrier that restrains evil, and bring peace to this land once more!”

The four divine objects glowed, each one emitting a beam of light at the barrier, turning it white to reveal the crack that I had caused. A surge of energy shot forth from the divine objects and the barrier flashed brightly. Then it was gone. Repaired.