The throne room was vast and circular. The big windows were lining the walls, but they did nothing to disperse a gloom from the inside as if the chamber had its own laws ruling it. The shadows filled the empty spaces and swirled as if they were alive.

In the middle of it was a dais with a throne, but it was not something one could see in any castle, and Skylar had to clasp a hand over her mouth to stifle a surprised gasp. A person sat there, but he looked nothing like the projection of the Emperor that greeted them in the ballroom. He looked vaguely like a human, but the one that should have died a long time ago. His face was gaunt with bones poking out and covered by tight, dry and parchment-like skin. The dark inked lines covering it must have been beautiful once, with intricate and precise patterns, but now one could barely distinguish what pale lines once been. But the most bizarre sight was a multitude of pipes connected to the throne and bound the creature sitting on it.

A grey robe was probably of a bright colour once, but the time and grime turned it into a filthy rag. The body under it was skeletal, with well-pronounced bones showing through the cloth. Many tubes led directly into the body – two to the chest and one to the back of the head.

Skylar realised what Alarat meant when he said the Emperor was never leaving the throne room. He was bound by the many tubes keeping him alive, and he could not get off his seat. The cost of prolonging life seemed to be outrageous.

Emperor's eyes were closed, and his head hung with his chin tucked into his chest as if he were asleep. Gawyn drew his sword and tiptoed toward the dais, with Skylar right behind him with her blade ready to strike.

But they didn't cross half of the distance when the Emperor's head shot up, and the lids flew open, revealing glowing yellow eyes.

"Oh, annoying little mice are finally here," he said. His voice was rasped and harsh as if every word left his throat more painful. And yet it was echoing through the chamber, like some magic amplified it.

"Your time has come, fiend," spat Skylar. "You've destroyed enough of this world. Time to let it go and get to the meeting with death. It waited for you long enough."

A coughing sound erupted from the creature, and after a moment, they realised the Emperor was cackling. His whole body shook from laughter.

"Aren't you an entertaining little thing? You think you can kill me?" He cackled again. "I am eternal! I'm Emperor Aleus the Conqueror, the master of countless lands and the ruler of this world. Getting all the kingdoms under my rule is just a matter of time. And you, puny humans, think you can just walk in here and threaten me?"

"You are ruling the wasteland," Gawyn growled. "You brought nothing but ruin to this world. You are an abomination that should not exist. You are dying and trying to drag the whole world with you. We won't let you do that." He raised his sword, pointing at the throne. "Your reign of terror has come to an end."

And then Skylar ran. She raised her sword and reached the dais in a few quick lunges, swiping her sword in w wide arc, aiming at the creature's head.

But the sword encountered an invisible wall, and she was thrown back with the same strength, landing heavily on her back a few meters away. Gawyn rushed at the Emperor, trying to cut the pipes out, but the shield protected the whole construction. He bounced away just like his wife.

"So impatient," mused the Emperor. "And so foolish. Do you think you can stab me to death with your fragile swords? I've been walking this earth long before your ancestors were even born."

"You're not exactly in a walking shape now, are you?" Skylar mocked, getting up and wiping the blood from her nose.

"Insolent fools!" the creature shrieked and raised a shaking, bony hand.

Both Skylar and Gawyn groaned in pain when the crackling energy surged through their bodies, driving them back to the ground.

"You are just mare specks in this world. Insignificant. Helpless. Completely useless. The only value you have is that little amount of magic you have within your soul. But I can survive without it. After all, I'm getting plenty from the people of your kingdom."

Skylar growled, and clutching her teeth, she slowly got back to her feet, despite the magic still crackling painfully through her whole body.

"I will not rest until I stop you," she gasped and raised her sword, slowly advancing toward the throne with her sword raised. "I'll have your head!"

The Emperor scoffed and raised a hand once again. Skylar was thrown back, her body hitting the floor with a dull thud echoing through the chamber.

"You cannot harm me. When will you finally understand that? Your attempt is not admirable. It's pathetic. You are no heroes but naïve fools. I will smash you to pieces! I will­─" He stopped, and his face contorted in pain. The air around the throne flickered.

"Oh, what's the matter?" Gawyn asked, getting back to his feet as the painful magic disappeared. "Did you eat something indigestible?"

The Emperor gagged and coughed, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

"Fixing your cocktail was unexpectedly easy," Skylar said, strolling toward the throne. "You really should have left more people guarding your special meals. What if someone added something poisonous there?"

"You... dare..." the Emperor spat. He grabbed one of the pipes attached to his chest and, with a grunt, wrenched it free, leaving a bloody hole. "You think that such a little stunt can stop me? I wasted enough time for you, pests! Guards!"

Suddenly the chamber filled with robed sorcerers, appearing out of thin air. Before Gawyn or Skylar could move, more spells shot through the air, throwing them away in a bloody mess and groaning in pain.

"It's not working," Skylar huffed, trying to get back to her feet, her body trembling.

"Time for reinforcement then." Gawyn put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. For a moment, nothing happened. They both got back on shaky feet, ready for another assault. But even though the Emperor looked a bit shaken, he was nowhere as incapacitated as they expected. The protective row of ten sorcerers ready to blast them with magic also didn't help.

Gawyn and Skylar exchanged determined looks and stood ready to dash with their weapons up. One of the windows exploded, showering the sorcerers with a myriad of broken glass when a huge creature flew inside.

Amidst surprised and panicked voices, arrows pierced the air, raining at shocked sorcerers and making them scatter for cover.

"High time you show up!" Gawyn roared while advancing at the closest sorcerer, his sword slashing mercilessly.

Zephyr shrieked triumphantly and dived down at the group of clustered robed figures. Ayah, who rode on his back, barely managed to grab hold of a saddle handle to avoid falling. Flying a gryphon was different from flying a winged horse.

The sorcerers already got past the initial shock, and the spells started flying, crackling through the air. Skylar was too busy dodging and slashing to keep track of how others were doing. She tried to get through the sorcerers to reach the throne and the Emperor again. He might not be completely vulnerable, but he was still weakened, and if they'd get any chance to draw his blood, it had to be now.

She sidestepped the arrow of dark energy that almost struck her chest and rammed her elbow to the panicked robed man, throwing him back and making an opening towards the dais. She dashed forward, her heart hammering in her chest, her breath short and rugged. Blood from the wound on her brow flooded her left eye, making her vision all red.

Skylar could see the Emperor already, a pathetic wheezing creature so desperately clinging to life. Just three more lunges and she would be there to end this.

The crackle of energy erupted next to her ear, and a searing pain exploded in her right arm.

She screamed and fell on one knee. The sword fell from the bloody fingers she no longer felt with a loud clank. Skylar gritted her teeth, drew the dagger from her boot with a left hand and, ignoring the pain, jumped forward again.

"Stop her!" the Emperor shrieked, but it was too late.

Skylar stepped on the dais and rammed her dagger down, aiming for Emperor's neck.

The blade never reached him.

It was stuck suspended in the air, blocked by an invisible barrier.

But it did not repel her this time.

Skylar pressed harder, screaming. It was a primal sound, a mixture of desperation, determination, and hatred. She put all her strength, anger, and everything left in her into that one last push before they forced her back.

Still, it was not enough.

From the corner of her eye, she could see the sorcerers raising hands to throw their deadly spells at her.

But then the arrows flew.

One.

Two.

Three.

All striking straight at the invisible shield. The air shimmered, and with a loud crack, the wall disappeared.

The Emperor shifted away in fear, and Skylar rammed the dagger between his neck and arm. It went in easily, as it would in any other man.

The Emperor howled in pain, and then the spells finally hit Skylar.

The pain was so intense she almost blacked out. She went flying and focused on just one thing. Keeping hold of that bloody dagger. When she hit the wall, the sickening crack echoed in her head. She didn't know how many bones she had broken, but her whole body felt as if it was on fire. She tried to get up but barely raised her chest and coughed the dark red blood.

"Sky!" Gawyn was right there, gently easing her to a sitting position. She groaned but raised a bloody dagger she was still clutching tightly in her hand.

Gawyn looked over his shoulder. The sorcerers were scrambling around the Emperor, ensuring he got immediate help, while Ayah and Zephyr kept coming at them with arrows and sudden dives. That meant he and Skylar had a momentary breather.

"Come on, get the blood," Skylar hasten him. Her vision was swimming and blurred red at the edges. Every breath was painful. She was sure that the cracked ribs pierced her lungs, filling them with blood with every passing moment. They didn't have much time left.

Gawyn took the bloody dagger from her numbing fingers in his half-paralysed hand, balancing it with difficulty, and with another hand, he fished a small glass vial from the pocket on his chest. He uncrooked it, using his teeth, and carefully collected a few drops of blood from the dagger.

"It's not looking good." Alarat appeared beside them with his brows frowned.

"Are you here to state the obvious?" Gawyn growled.

"No, listen to me. If you use the magic now, the Emperor will still be able to shield himself from the blast. Skylar wounded him, yes, but that's not nearly enough. His lackeys are already healing him. He would be back to his power in a moment."

"I assume you have a point?" Gawyn said while checking on Sky's wounds if there was something he could help with. But they both knew that she was already beyond saving. They both were.

"There is one thing we can still do," Alarat said, and his jaw tightened, and he raised his chin with determination. "He's still connected to some of the pipes. If we feed him the whole human soul, that will keep him busy enough not to be able to shield him from the blast."

"Are you saying­─" Gawyn looked up at him, shocked.

"You want to sacrifice your soul?" Skylar gasped. "But it will destroy you! There would be nothing left of you!"

Alarat smirked. "Just like you two. I shouldn't even be here. I should have turned into nothing the moment I died, but I lingered here for a reason. I believe that was the whole purpose of my existence. Let you do the one strike that will end this reign of terror. Once and for all."

They were silent for a moment, and then Gawyn nodded slowly. "Thank you, brother."

Alarat smirked, which made him look like a mischievous boy. "I can't let you be the only hero of this story, dear brother. Make haste now. Send your gryphon away, and you'll have to hold on for some time. I'm not sure how long will it take."

"We'll hold on as long you need," Gawyn replied.

Alarat put his hand on his heart and bowed his head. "May fate be kind to you, Gawyn."

"And to you, Alarat."

The ghost smiled for the last time and melted into the floor, disappearing from view.

Gawyn jumped to his feet and made a sharp whistle.

Zephyr dived down and landed in front of him. He was bloodied, and some of his feathers were roughed and burned, but he seemed otherwise unharmed. Ayah didn't look much better, but she was still alive and able to fight, which was a blessing.

"Take this and fly home as if all nine hells were upon you," he said, handing her a vial with blood.

She took it reluctantly. "What about you? I can't leave you here! You don't stand a chance against them all!"

Gawyn put a bloody hand on her leg and squeezed. "Listen to me, Ayah. This blood sample is the base of the poison plaguing Lamyria. It must get to the healers. It will give them a chance to extract it from the sick if our solution fails. Leave now, soldier! That is an order!"

"I won't let you down, sir!" Although her voice was breaking, Ayah saluted, and the tears ran down her dirty cheeks. She tucked the vial safely away in the pouch at her belt. "I'll get it straight to the Queen."

Zephyr shrieked in protest. His claws scrubbed the ground, leaving long gushes and his tail lashing furiously.

"Listen to me, buddy." Gawyn grabbed his huge head in both hands and pressed his forehead to the soft feathers. "You were the greatest friend I could ever ask for. I know you don't want to go. I know you'd rather die here with us. But I need you to get back to Aliyah. I need you to make sure she gets this vial. Do you understand?"

Zephyr huffed, his golden eyes still angry but also desperately sad.

"Go back to Evergreen. Take care of Thalia and keep her safe for me." His voice started to break. "You're her closest family now. Don't you dare abandon her. Now, go. You have to fly as fast as possible because this place will explode very soon."

Zephyr shrieked again. This time it was full of despair and mourning. But also determination. He trotted toward Skylar and bumped her shoulder gently with his beak. She smiled and ran her bloody fingers through his silver feathers.

"Fly like a wind, Zephyr," she whispered. "And give Thalia a kiss from me."

The gryphon whimpered for the last time and then roared with all his might, making the remaining glass in the windows tremble.

"Let's give them a proper goodbye before we go, shall we?" shouted Ayah, nocking an arrow on her bow. Zephyr shrieked in agreement, and they charged toward the sorcerers, still clustered around the throne, and wounded Emperor.

Gawyn kneeled at Skylar's side again and leaned his forehead to hers.

"I guess it's the end," he murmured.

"One hell of a way to go," she whispered back. The breathing was getting increasingly difficult, and it felt as if all strength was leaking out of her body.

"Are you able to finish it?"

She showed him a little glass vial full of bright, white light that she was holding in her hand. "Just waiting for the signal from Alarat."

"We'll have to hold on just a little bit longer then. I'll keep them busy for you."

"I love you," she whispered.

He kissed her pale lips gently. "I love you more. Till death do us part."

"I guess we're finally there, huh?" She smiled and brushed his cheek gently. "Go, give them hell."

He kissed her fingers and got up, drawing his sword.

The sorcerers were scrambling after a sudden attack from Zephyr and Ayah, who showered them with arrows. But the Emperor sat straight on his throne once again. The only sign that he was injured was blood soaked through his ragged robe.

Gawyn raised his sword and strolled towards them.

"So, how many times can you heal him? How many times we will have to stab him so you can finally get that your time is already over?" he mocked.

"You will choke on your insolent words, you fool!" one of the sorcerers shrieked, sending the crackling dark arrows at him, which he easily dodged.

With all their bolstering about being powerful, they all knew that the magic was in a very low supply. There were only so many times one could bloody themselves to amplify their power. And keeping up illusions and healing the mortal wound must have been draining.

But, unfortunately to him, there were still many of the sorcerers left.

The air crackled with magic, and more and more spells were flying his way. He could dodge some of them, but not all. He lunged at the closest sorcerer and slashed his chest, spraying dark blood. But two other robed men zapped him straight in the chest.

He fell to his knees with a loud growl. His body was seizing up, muscles trembled, and vision blurred. But he gritted his teeth and heaved himself back up, swiping his blade widely at the closest robed figures.

He had to hold on.

Just a bit longer.

But then he felt a cold blade piercing his back, just under his shoulder.

He forgot that the sorcerers were no strangers to simple weapons.