Chapter Twenty - The Aftermath ~ Epilogue

Arius woke up. He was lying in a bed, and Cidela Pepperpath was sitting on his side. Suddenly Arius focused as the girl kissed him. "What happened?" He asked. Cidela told him how the demon that once were Jared, struck him down, but at the same moment, the battlefield began to drift in to shadows. Cidela had thought that her own end had come, but then from the shadows, something manifested out of the thick shadows. It was a city and a fortress, that was and was not. And then the ethereal gates of the city of shadows opened, and an army of shades marched towards the battlefield, and in the vanguard, walking alongside the Shade King, was Melkor. The shades fought hard and disbanded not until the last of Alzarseths mercenaries was slain and the demon banished back to the Abyss.

Cidela and the rest of the Darnonese army gathered the wounded and now they are in the grand halls of High Lady Cylyria Dragonbreast. Much of the city of Berdusk was saved as the berduskian wizards managed to create a protective ward to withstand the red orb. Arius was puzzled but glad that they had survived from what was nigh impossible. Then he saw Douglas who was sleeping on a sidecouch, but the rogue woke quickly and welcomed his friend back to the living. Cidela told Arius that this morning, Melkor came back, but the wizard refused to talk to others, conserving his words for Arius. Young King asked Cidela about Jared and the girl explained the little that she had managed to discover.
According to Berduskian sages, Jared suffered some sort a soulcurse where a malign entity took control of his soul and body. It was suspected that Jared changed back in Durunmer where undead maggot killed him. This theory is backed up by his journal, gathered from his belongings. Last note goes like this:

"7th of August, 1372

It truly is a joy to write again. May Lathander bless my new hands! I will write a better recitation as soon as I have more time, as now we are in haste to the village of Durunmer, since a unholy terror has risen from the ruins of Dakhet Mar. But it is to be mentioned that our pagan comrade, Hashim the Kothian was slain in a evil ambush. I will miss him. 
But now I must rush, praised be Lathander, unlike the last few days, today I truly feel that we will be victorious!"

In loving memory of Jared

Saddened by their loss, Cidela helped Arius to get back up, and walked him to the main hall. It had became a makeshift hospital for the injured. Among the tired yet relieved soldiers and civilians they saw Dortherion, badly maimed but still kicking. Lot was there too, petting Hero the dog. General Almatheus Ochrefield was there too, but he had given his fullest during the battle and now he was dying. And to his sickness there was no cure.

And as they reach the other end of the hall, Melkors walks in. The old wizard apologizes for his late actions, and admits that now afterwards he sees several ways to improve his methods. Melkor explains that when he reached for the artifact, he felt a connection to the realm of shades. He summoned the shade armies for their aid, but that costed him the Eye of Karsus, as the Shadeking Hardhune took it from him. After the battle, the Shadeking spoke to him and told that if he ever wishes to study the artifact, he would have to abandon his life among the others and join to shades in their realm at the Plane of Shadow.

As Arius began to understand why Melkor did what he did, and even though he had not fully forgiven him yet, he was touched by Melkors possible leave and asked what did the wizard choose to do? Melkor stared him for a while and said "I bid you farewell Arius.." 

And he turned and began to walk towards the doorway. Arius couldn't find any words to stop his father from leaving, but at the doorway Melkor stopped. The wizard saw a young berduskian boy with golden hair, fencing a old bookcase with wooden sword and shield. Something changed inside the wizard, who turned and walked back to Arius "I guess I'll watch over you for couple more years, I owe you that, son." Cheers were heard as the wizard and the young king finally hugged (which was Melkors first hug since his beloved Queen Aeliathe, love of his life) as a gesture of remission and newly found relationship.

A message arrived from Uddard Blackcaster who informed that the free people pf Darnon were longing after  their king. Our brave heroes walked into a balcony and gazed beyond the smoking ruins of Berdusk and beyond the green fields of Berdusk, there lied the Kingdom of Darnon, for which they had sacrificed and fought. Cidela asked from Arius:
"The Tyrant is dead, evil wizard has been slain, the kingdom is yours, what are you going to do now?"
"I could be with you.." Arius replied.
Cidela blushed, and couldn't give Arius a coherent answer just yet. The embarrassed couple was saved by Lot who walked in with Hero the Dog, bringing Arius the Crown of Darnon.

And there, standing with his trusted friends, the young boy who just over a year ago had gone for the market to run some casual errands, placed the crown on his head, and look, he was 

King Ariendur the Valiant 

Defeater of Tyranny, Savior of the Free People of Darnon.

And together with his dear friends, they saw many wondrous adventures, but those are different tales that deserve to be told, but not now, since now is the time to bid you and our glorious heroes farewell!

The End