Chapter 29: The Final Battle

Stepping through the portal, the three men raised their eyes and stared in shock around them. Around the land of Cravon, there was fire, the king's castle was on fire also. Houses were burning, farms where peasants worked were burning, pastures were burning.

"We are too late. We have failed the king," Halu cried dropping to his knees and sobbing.

"Come, fly to the castle! We must aid the king," Toru shouted running swiftly to the castle on fire.

The knights equipped for war, entered the castle through a hole and stepped inside.

A boastful laugh became audible to the knight's ears. "You are all too late. For I have won. You couldn't save your precious little boy, much less the throne."

Toru turned his head upwards towards where the voice was coming. Floating above their heads, was the evil king of death, Azackton, with his scepter in his hand.

"Azackton, today you pay for the destruction of Cravon, the lives of its inhabitants, and for the murder of its future Prince," Toru spoke angrily.

"You have come thirty minutes too late. For just now I have taken the throne to Cravon and imprisoned the King and Queen in the dungeons below. Your journey in The Gutter provided me much time to rally my troops and destroy your foot soldiers. I have also killed all the prisoners who opposed me. What now can you do since it is but the three of you?"

"We will fight to the death," A voice answered from a distance. A magnificent golden portal appeared, and through it, came Avery, dressed in full golden armor and a white feather on top of his helmet which shone like the sun.

"Avery.... How?" Toru shouted, his voice becoming weak.

"The Gutter of Despair only yields to the one who's sacrifice is inevitable. Mine is not yet complete. Today I will rid my homeland of this disgusting sorcerer and save my parents and love from utter annihilation," Avery answered taking out his golden sword from its sheath. It was heavily made with strong, sturdy material, but was beautiful to behold; Whose bearer was purely devoted to the safety for those he loved.

"I sent you to that pitiful Gutter because I knew you to be too arrogant and self conceited to give yourself up in total fragility. How is it then that you stand brazenly before me in this manner? Surely you are not the son of the King," Spoke the Wizard in shock.

"Look at me and behold my likeness of my father." The Prince removed the heavy helmet from his head for the others to see. "Now it is irrevocably certain that I am indeed Prince Avery of Cravon."

"Behold the Prince! The future King!" Exclaimed Toru.

Waving his scepter, Azackton summoned his entire army at once. "Kill them all, but leave the boy. He is mine!"

With a cry of hatred, he rushed towards our Prince and the final battle began. The battle which would end the war.

Azackton continuously swung his scepter towards the face of Avery, seeking to pierce through his face from the helmet. Our hero dodged each attempt and using his shield, he forced the wizard back. Azackton rose above the ground to make fire emit from the floor. Before he could, the Prince called forth a great ball of fire which struck Azackton, furiously burning him, and brought him to the ground.

The evil wizard was indeed gravely wounded, but fought in close combat with our great Knight. They both went back to back swinging and hacking, Avery gaining the advantage as Azackton's wounds bled severely, weakening him. Avery also, began to grow exhausted from the use of his powers; But continued, even when each moment began to grow more and more painful and grueling.

Azackton managed to damage the Prince's armor around his chest and pierce it; But just as swiftly, Avery swung and slit the throat of Azackton with a fatal blow.

The Sorcerer lay bleeding, unable to rise again.

"Hurry, take me to my parents and Sasha," Avery gasped, crouching down on his knees while the other knights came to his aid.

Lifting him up and carrying him, they took him down to the dungeons. His blood ran through the pierced area of his armor like a flood.