A Red Stain on a Black Rose

"The rebirth of my new world will make all right again," Calhera, the Goddess of Vengeance stated as she sat on the throne.

"The body of Erron yet lives. And the body of Talkren lies dead. I am nearly half way to my goal. And once I get there...this world will be born anew with only I as it's over lord. A world without undead, without cannibalistic agents, a world without the pain and death and destruction that this one has seen for far too long.

The end draws near..."

As the zombies dropped from above, the men began their efforts to fight back. Most were easy enough. If they didn't crush their heads from falling, or land in the fiery orb in the center, the undead would be too broken to fight. At some point, Mathias vanished, leaving Edaw, Nithelas, and Lehti to deal with the undead. However, after the last was destroyed, Edaw, too, wished to leave.

"The Goddess requires her mage. That riverfolk is important to her, and I will find it for her. Wizard, if you did something to hide him, or you find him and don't give him up to us, I will return; and Nju Shenghuo will be without its wizard."

Lehti ignored all this. All the bodies of these undead could fuel the Immolation. What had happened was almost a blessing. The Goddess was without the riverfolk, which slowed her plans; and it gave him bodies to feed the Immolation. The only issue was his "bait". Fortunately, Lehti believed the bait had served his purposes... more than he expected even.


***************


"ENOUGH!"

A hollow, feminine voice echoed from the blue mist. It was harsh and powerful. Everyone was silenced and gazed at the mist.

"This is the Temple of Isshougai: The Temple of Life and Time. Only the warranted death of a wizard brings you all together. However, you are not prepared."

The mists surrounding the two figures began to disperse. Rizzen was first to see the elf standing there: Brom. Next to him, a riverfolk stared into the mist. He was not the least bit happy.

"I need to return to him. He's all that matters in this world, to me," he said to the mist.

"Your protection is needed, Popurum. When the wizard is defeated, you will be taken to him."

"Rizzin, as you see Brom now, he is in need of great healing. He has been weakened by the wizard. I will use the best of my powers to save him, but I need your help. I need every one of you."

"Who... or what, are you?" asked Lanist.

"Who... I am? My name... was... my name was Kristyn. Now... come."

The blue mist swirled and spread, growing, but only thickened around the group, not each person. Soon, they were all in a wall of blue mist. The rest of the world was gone.

"One year from now, you will be ready. One year from now, you'll battle the wizard. One year from now, Leif and Nju Shenghuo will be free..."

***************

ONE YEAR LATER...

For what seemed like an eternity, Brom, Rizzen, Granite, Red, Xania, Popurum, Lisa, Jasper, and Lanist spent their lives surrounded by the mist. The temple was gone, the jungle was gone, and soon, one of their own... For a few months, Granite, Rizzen and Kristyn explored the scrolls and their magics to try to save Brom. Sadly, Brom's cancer won. The mage died, and faded away, out of the mist. Kristyn assured Rizzen Brom's body would be taken care of.

The rest studied, trained, grew... They became stronger and more powerful. They had the whole year to grow and strengthen. The time passed. While every minute passed slowly, the year went all too quickly.

For one year, they've been gone. For one year, the world of Aeon was without the eight. But now, now the world had new heroes. And they all stood and stared up at the tower. They were inside the wall, just a stair climb from the throne room. Kristyn had one last message before the mist left them forever.

"Remember, keep Popurum safe till he reaches the Immolation. He'll know what he needs to do. And... If you can stop Leif without fighting, it would be the greatest victory..."

************

Calhera wrote:

"The rebirth of my new world will make all right again," Calhera, the Goddess of Vengeance stated as she sat on the throne.

"The body of Erron yet lives. And the body of Talkren lies dead. I am nearly half way to my goal. And once I get there...this world will be born anew with only I as it's over lord. A world without undead, without cannibalistic agents, a world without the pain and death and destruction that this one has seen for far too long.

The end draws near..."

Lehti stood in the chamber looking at the Immolation. The walls had been extended, and the floor carved down. The pyre was giant.

Nithelas stood close by. He was now a young wizard. Like Lehti, was lost to the druid life, but picked up the arcane. He didn't smile much. It had been over a year since the Loremaster's death, though Nithelas didn't think about that. All he thought about was the Immolation. It was his entire life now. A scout approached.

"The last of the Black Rose has been snuffed out," he reported to Nithelas.

Lehti heard and was ecstatic. A year ago, scouts lost the trail of Lanist and the group that was sent to destroy him. As small as they were, back then, the plan was so delicate. Now though, with Lanist's group lost, likely dead somewhere in the jungle, and the rest of the Black Rose destroyed, there was nothing left to stop him.

"Any day, and I shall be ready. Not even the Goddess can hold me back now. All of Aeon will burn! And all of Aeon will regrow. Through the ashes... Through the ashes will be born a world free of undead. The world will be clear, free to flourish again! I shall be there to be its guardian! Protector of the lands... Like I was born to be..."

And Lehti began to weep in joy.

Even outside of the temple at the base of it Rizzen could feel the darkness welling within. He knew the end would come soon. He just wasn't sure how.

"Let's go," he said.

Rizzen began to climb the stairs to go to the top of the temple of Lehti. He hadn't said much since Brom's death.

On more than one occasion the others had seen him crying himself to sleep at night.

Rizzen was now an empty shell of a man, only wanting all of this pain and misery to end.

He didn't look back to see if the others followed.

He didn't even care if they followed.

Red looked back at the others as Rizzen climbed the stairs.Red wasnt sure what he should do but he needed to redeem himself and that he would, he began climbing the stairs.

Popurum followed after Red, then came Granite, Jasper and Lanist.

They were nearing the top, almost to the landing when Popurum raced forward and blocked the stairway from the others.

"There... there is something you all probably should know."

The mage with fiery red hair and at least three feet shorter the rest of the group was the only thing between Rizzen and the end of this quest.

"You... you see. His name isn't REALLY Lehti. His name is Leif... and... he's one of the Heroes of the Ravaging. Like Aldion, or Karos. So... so, are we gonna kill him, or are we going to help him? Cause... you know... he might be friends with Aldion..."

Red looked at the others.

"Lehif was a hero," he said

"This man is Lehti, Aldion would know what ye all should do and aye believe that we be doing the right thing." he said as he began to move on.

Popurum once again, stopped the group, slightly pushing the pirate back.

"... well, we aren't! Kristyn said to try to do this without fighting! I think we need to do that. We need to save one of the Heroes. And DON'T act like you know Aldion! Only *I* know Aldion!"

Popurum started getting really upset.

"I say we help him!"

Red looked around, and then back on the riverfolk.

"A man by the name of Lucian, i met him on my way to Lehti's many years ago." said Red.

"I know alot about Aldion and i know that he would know that Lehti is no hero, but the lady did say that so i think we should try not to fight, but what do i know im just bait." said Red waiting for the others to respond

Rizzen put his hand on the top of Popurum's head and smiled at the Riverfolk.

Popurum was always wise, many would say. Underestimated....and wise.

Rizzen's smile faded, and turned to a scowl and he shoved Popurum aside.

he then continued up the stairs.

"He dies."

"Silence, riverfolk! What that monster may have been does not excuse his crimes now. His death is the only way to bring peace to Nju Shenghuo and the families he's destroyed."

Lanist passed the riverfolk not saying anything more. Lehti had done too much to Nju Shenghuo and the lives of the anivers to be let off for something he used to be. Jasper too passed the riverfolk without saying anything. He'd follow Lanist, his leader. Popurum, saddened, continued forward and followed them up the stairs.

Inside, they were greeted, not by Lehti, but with another mage. He was younger, and a darkling. He stood there watching them, a few hollow mages at his side.

Lanist drew two short spears and held them in both hands. He and Jasper were the first to respond. They sprang at the hollow mages first. And it was at that moment that Lanist realized someone was missing...

Nithelas jumped back, letting the hollow mages take the hits for him. While the rest stood there, he pulled out his scimitar and pointed it towards him.

"He knows you've arrived! You've been outed. The Immolation will continue and there is nothing more for you to do! Even with my death, you will not win! You've lost! You've lost! You've lost!"

Red jumped at one of the hollow mages his sword fell upon the hollow mage but a hidden dagger punctured Red's lung. He fell back against lantist spurting blood from his mouth.

"Aye!, she be hurting like a bitch," he said laughing and coughing on his own blood.

"I'm sorry for what i did to ye i just tryed to help," He said he was fading.

Lanist did not expect the death of the pirate... for that reason. Anger still filled his heart, at the betrayal the pirate had done, but the now dying man... well. Perhaps he deserved a second chance?

Lanist knelt down to the feline aniver. Neither of them saw the other hollow mages crawling out from the corners. Lanist was prepared to say something, a goodbye, when Nithelas shot the panther with a spell of energetic force. The blast knocked Lanist down, where two hollow mages began tearing at him. The hollow mages went after Granite, Jasper, Popurum, and Rizzen.

The little mage cast a spell forcing the hollow mages off of Lanist. The aniver got up, bleeding and in terrible pain.

"Go..." he said. "Jasper and I will hold them off. You three find the wizard."

Popurum grabbed Xania, Granite and Rizzen. They disappeared before the hollow mages could catch them.

They reappeared in the chamber. The blazing Immolation gave the room angry shadows. The three stood away from the blaze, near a wall. They stood behind the tubes that once imprissoned Brom and Popurum.

Lehti was below the orb of fire, saying things, mumbling. It was clearly not a spell, but it was definitely a rant.

"Are you sure we have to kill him?" asked Popurum, looking at Rizzen with pleading eyes.

Red's soul flowed around the three and popurum.

"So you see i wacth of the still," his voice said with laughter as his soul went with the gods but part of him stayed.


The three including popurum were surronded with a type of shield that would last for the next 10 minutes they were compleatly invincible for the next 10 mintues against anything. When the time is up the rest of Red's soul will go with the gods aswell.

good luck

"Time is nothing to a man that has nothing more to lose, but everything to lose!" Cackled a crazed Lehti. He turned and looked directly at Rizzen.

"So elf, are you happy to see me? So long ago, so long since I stole your love. So long since that day. HAHAHAH!"

He waved his arm, and the pyre above him erupted. It flared and scorched the chamber walls.

"Now... DIE!"

A flare of Immolation struck the Rizzin, Granite, and Popurum. The blaze hit them, and blasted the prisons Brom and Popurum had been forced in. The prisons flew back into the walls, but the three were left standing.

"What is this?! You do not burn? But everything burns! EVERYTHING!!!"

Another blast of fire hit the three, and the Immolation continued to hit them, but they felt no heat or pressure from the blaze. Whatever caused Red's enchantment worked. However, the shield was weakening, and the Immolation was too powerful.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!!!"

"Alright, he's a little aggressive," admitted Popurum as the shield began to wane.

"Spread out!"

Popurum ran one way, Granite moved another and began firing his gun at Lehti. Rizzen headed in the direction of the stairs. He was able to see Nithelas slowly walking down to them. Lanist and Jasper must have been overwhelmed...

Lehti felt the bullets hit his body, but it didn't matter. When a bullet struck, it left a hole that erupted into flame. The wizard screamed out in anger and pain. A stream of Immolation almost struck so close to the dwarf, part of his beard was singed.

Xania moved swiftly around using whateve spells she knew to help. Her precious bat flying up above.

"You can't defeat me!" cried Lehti.

"I have the power of the Immolation, and every mage in this chamber!"

The mages!

Popurum ran for cages holding the mages. Lehti noticed immediately and fired Immolation at the riverfolk. Fortunately, the dwarf had listened to Kristyn's words and did his mission. He tackled the riverfolk, and held the body down as the blaze scorched the dwarf's back. The dwarf was on fire on top of Popurum and was screaming in pain.

Rizzen was quick to dowse the dwarf with water, which didn't help the pain. Rizzen also began to run for the other mages, and one by one started to break at the cages. Lehti grew angry and cast Immolation at the elf. The blaze would strike the entrapped mages. The burned mages died, and lost their arcane properties. Every mage killed caused the emulsion around the Immolation to weaken.

Popurum was saved by Granite, and quickly crawled out and started to run for the cages. However, he had a trick. He pulled a wand out, given to him by Kristyn. When he touched the cage with the wand, the energy being sapped would cease.

"You're only bringing your own destruction! STOP! If you continue, you'll all die with me!"

Popurum stopped. He wasn't ready to die yet. He still needed to find Aldion. To see if he was safe. Even for one last time.

Rizzin saw this.

"Do it! Destroy him! You have to do this!" shouted Rizzin.

"I- I can't! Not without seeing Aldion!" cried Popurum.

Lehti began to cackle.

"I knew Aldion Selek. But... but not me. No. Cholley knew Aldion. Aldion didn't know me, but he knew Cholley. Cholley was me though. Am I Cholley? No. Am I Leif? No. Did Aldion know me? No. Do I know Aldion? NO!"

Lehti began laughing again. Rizzin was getting angrier. The darkling mage was coming down and was brandishing a bloody sword.

"Give me the wand!" Rizzin ran to, and stole the wand from Popurum. He instantly went back to destroying the emulsion that contained the Immolation.

"Fool!" cried Lehti, and he began to cast Immolation again, but then something extraordinary happened. Granite was on his feet again. He started firing rounds of bullets at Lehti.

The bullets were deflected by the Immolation, but Lehti was stunned. The dwarf was too badly wounded. How could he move like that? Only healing could have restored him, but healing had been gone from Aeon for years! Leif was the last healer in Aeon!

Leif?

Cholley?

Lehti released himself from the Immolation. He dropped to his knees and then onto his hands. He was panting heavily.

"Ho- how... how did y- you... How are... you... you not... dead?"

Rizzin stopped freeing mages as he saw Lehti week and vulnerable. The dwarf kept his gone aimed on the wizard.

"Tha's the powar of the druids, yeh moron," said Granite.

"LIES!" cried Nithelas.

"The druids are gone," continued Lehti. "I was the last! My powers were lost at the Ravaging! When that wizard... when... the wizard...? I became a wizard..."

Leif... Cholley... Cholley, Leif... Leif... Lehti... Leif, Lehti... Lehti, Leif...?

"You? The last? No, my master. I was a druid one year ago. The day you found me was the day I lost my druid powers. The day the Loremaster..."

"NO! The Loremaster was the one that gave me that book! The Loremaster led Sarsethok right to me! It was the Loremaster! That bastard! I was the last druid, till he set me up!"

"Ye ar' daft! I bloody well, am a druid! They dinn't die out. The only non-druids are the lost uns!"

"LIES!"

"LIES!"

Both Nithelas and Lehti screamed. The couldn't hear it, wouldn't hear it.

"The druids were lost to us! We didn't lose them! They all died on Teseron Isle!"

"No! They vanished with the Ravaging, from the Undead King! From Erron!"

"No! My... my Calhera! She was a druid too! She lived and she died... She died a druid! I know it!"

"LIES!" screamed Lehti.

"Why... why did I lose my powers?" asked Nithelas.

"BECAUSE THE POWERS LEFT US!"

"No... no! I remember... I had them... then... the bomb... the monkey... the dragons and Mathias and Aldion's monkey..."

"Aldion?" asked Popurum shyly. He slowly approached Lehti, as did Nithelas, and Rizzin, but no one saw Rizzin draw his knife.

"Aldion was there. I was helping him with his nephew, Talkren. Then... I got lost... The Loremaster died and all of Teseron Isle was destroyed... and I lost... No... I gave... I lost my powers when I gave them up. The other druids didn't leave... It was just me... Just... Just us."

Everyone turned to Lehti. He stared at the ground.

"When... when he stole me. When I was taken and imprissoned. I lost my powers... I lost myself. I was freed by a little man: Cholley. A wizard. He had powers when I lost mine. When... when I was lost myself."

"NO EXCUSES! You took Brom! YOU TOOK MY LOVE!"

Rizzin dove for Lehti with the dagger. It came inches from Lehti's heart, but something knocked Rizzin off his pounce. It was a cockatoo. It was Lisa.

"One more chance. Leif deserves one more chance!" she screamed at Rizzin.

"Leif is dead. Lost when I came to Nju Shenghuo. I came to escape my life as Leif!"

"You stole my Brom!" roared an enraged Rizzin.

"ENOUGH!"

"Rizzin! Your anger for your loss is only justified by your actions, but you have chosen to do nothing but fight! You do not see that Lehti is gone? That he is defeated? Look! Do you see a wizard using the Immolation?"

"Kri- Kristyn?"

"Yes Leif. The Temple of Isshougai, Leif. Where I died... Where you tried to save me. You did not die as Leif on the ship to Nju Shenghuo. You died when I did. I am so sorry. Be at peace, my love. I only ache for your happiness."

"How, how can I change? I've done too much! I've hurt so many. I- I can't. There's too many minds inside my one. I can't... I'm lost."

"Popurum. The wand I gave you. I told you it would free all the mages. I did not lie. There is one mage you need to save. Place the wand to Leif's mind."

The riverfolk did so. No one knew what was going to happen. Rizzin just sat there, angry, but confused. He couldn't fight anymore, he just hurt for Brom.

As the tip of the small wooden wand hit Lehti's forehead, everything changed. The fiery wounds on Leif vanished. His mouth cried out in pain, but made no noise. There was no sound in that chamber.

Suddenly... Leif wasn't sitting there alone. A small, six inch tall man stood there, looking up at everyone.

"Hello. My name is Cholley! Would any of you know where a Captain Hellcat might be?"

"I'd very much like to join my captain... I think she's in trouble with a dragon or something. Last time it was a rabia. Then Erron threw me! That was mean. But it's ok. It was just at a zombie. It didn't bit me or anything."

Then the little man looked around at where he was at.

"Where in Aeon are we?"

"Welcome, Cholley, Hero of the Ravaging. I am sure I can say you have been greatly missed by the world. Where you are now? You are in Nju Shenghuo."

"Oh? Well... where am I supposed to be?"

"There is a great battle unfolding that will shape the course of Aeon's existence forever. Erron's castle is being battled over, and the Goddess of Vengeance is planning to destroy the world."

"Much like myself," said a guilt wrenched Leif.

"Is time yeh make it up lad," said Granite.

"Is this battle where Hellcat is? My captain is probably angry I've been missing my duties on board." said Cholley.

"Everyone from any time that has had a role in the undead plague will be there. Popurum, Aldion is there. However, there is someone else there, but she is not herself. The Goddess of Vengeance has taken control of your love, Calhera. I... I am sorry."

The riverfolk slumped to the ground.

"Took... Calhera?"

He began to cry.

"Don't cry, Red Hair. We'll help her!" said an empathetic Cholley.

"Time is short. We need to remove the Immolation and free the anivers slaving on the wall."

"I... I will go help slaves," said Nithelas and he hurried off. He felt sick. He had been so... wrong... evil...

"The only way to stop the Immolation is to use it," said Leif.

"How does it work?" asked Cholley.

"There are crystals on the wall I... the wall I had built. They help target. I could cast it where ever I required."

"Space? Like, outer space?" asked Popurum.

"No. As it is, there is an army of undead dragons fighting. One is attacking Hellcat's ship. Leif, my love. Can you target the dragon?"

"That's too precise. I can't even see where they are, and I don't know how much of the Immolation to cast."

"The army then. Destroy what we know you can hit. Then teleport us there. How many of us are mages?" asked Rizzin.

Cholley raised his tiny arm. Popurum and Leif nodded.

"You have the arcane power! You could take down that undead dragon!" cried Rizzin.

"I could fire the Immolation and wipe much of the army away. Not it all though. I don't want to hurt innocents any more. The rest I could send into space."

"Scry. Look into Dead Town and find Erron's Castle. See where you must cast the Immolation."

So, Popurum and Cholley began to cast use their spells to scry. They found the area. They could see the ship sail into Dead Town and it being attacked by the dragon. They could see the thousand strong army of undead dragons.

"There!" called Rizzin. "Can you hit them?"

"Why not try?" asked Leif.

He took position under the Immolation, this time as someone other than Lehti. He focused on the area they were scrying. Then he did it. He shot a small blast of the Immolation and it headed straight for the undead army.

Leif then fired what remained of Immolation up into the stars, unsure just where it would go.

Kristyn had finished what she needed. She sent her love to Leif, and he knew he'd never love anyone the way he did that ranger from long ago...

"... So... now what? Are we ready to find Hellcat?" asked Cholley.

"...And Aldion!"

"...And peace."

And so... Leif, Cholley and Popurum would travel to Dead Town. They had too much stake in the battle. They were too involved.

Rizzen, Xania, Granite and Lisa would return to Chu Lai. Granite needed his seeds, after all (a year over due...). Where the mage, Xania went, was for her to say.

And so it was. Leif, Cholley, and Popurum took there leave in a teleportation spell. Would they ever see Nju Shenghuo again?

Lisa, it turned out, had traveled with Kristyn and Leif many years ago. She knew of a special exit that would take them to the Temple of Isshougai. They were all set.

"Let's leave this place."

"I- I need a moment," said Rizzin.

The other two continued, and gave him his moment. Then the rumbling happened...

"No! Rizzin!"

The chamber without the Immolation and the wizard's magic to support it, began to crumble. Rizzin was still in the large chamber. He raced for the exit, but the rocks came down.

"Hurry, keep going!" cried Rizzin, his voice muffled under the temple. The temple that took his Brom. The temple that became his quest. The temple, that became his tomb...

...Lisa, Xania and Granite arrived in Chu Lai. They told the story of Leif and Lehti, and the great heroes that died that day at the tower. Lanist, Red, Jasper, and Rizzin...

While the rage for Leif would never die, the Heroes of Nju Shenghuo would be remembered...

Red Stain on a Black Rose is over!!! Hope you enjoyed the story...