Jordan's POV

I awoke in a bed. It was a strange thing to experience who just drove a sword through their chest, to awaken on a comfortable bed with plush pillows, a mattress that you could just sink into and lovely cotton sheets that smelt of rosemary. I sat up, wincing as a bolt of pain darted through my system – emanating from my chest. I looked down to see white bandages wrapped tightly across my chest, a crimson pattern visible from where the wound used to be. Swinging my legs to the edge of my bed, I used the wall as a handrail and managed to walk my way down the oak stairs, searching for the owner of the quaint little cottage. The stairs creaked under my heavy footsteps and I winced, the sound reminding me of nails being dragged down a chalkboard. I turned into what seemed like a living room, to see a purple figure staring at the floor, observing what seemed to be a battle going on underneath her floor. It was my lady, Ianite and she looked... proud?

"My lady?"

She turned almost instantly, rushing to my side and eyeing my bandaged wound with a sceptical look as she scolded me for getting up unaided. I winced as she put pressure on the wound; her immediate apologies making me feel guilty for making her worry. She led me into the living room and settled me in a chair, rushing around and ensuring that I was comfortable despite my constant reassurances that I was perfectly fine. My wound throbbed, a consistent pain in the back of my mind that lingered as I attempted to wave off Ianite's worries, her face set in a worried line as she saw through my tough guy façade. After a while she finally sat down on her own chair and turned to face me, a comforting smile on her face as she awaited the barrage of questions that were about to pour out of my mouth like a faucet. My brain raced, trying to sort my thoughts into a logical order in order to get my answers quickly.

"Are my friends okay?"

My lady's face lit up, a sense of pride and excitement in her eyes as she gestured at the see through floor I was desperately trying not to look at – heights were generally okay but looking at the entire world thousands of blocks below me was scary even for a heights enthusiast. I titled my head down, unconsciously tensing my arms on the chair as I stared at the world below me, making out the figures of my friends with their swords in their hands and the bodies of the shadow entities littering the floor around them. Black blood mixed in with red but nobody seemed seriously injured – even Nyx was up and walking around again, picking up the enemy and dropping them from a great height causing what bones the shadows had to splinter and collapse. The huge army I had stood against was being whittled down to stragglers, those that remained sprinting away only to be shot down in their attempt to seek safety, Chelcie and Lisette high fiving as they sniped. Sonja was helping Tucker, Tom hovering awkwardly to the side to ensure that he was ok, not really sure about how to talk to the happy couple.

My eyes then fell on where my body lay. It was strange, to see my body from the outside instead of in a reflection. I was crumpled on the floor, my body splayed across the floor with a sword sticking up into the air, its blade coated with crimson liquid. My body lay in a pool of blood, slowly sinking into the soil and crusting my clothes. Caitlin sat next to me, her expression blank as she just stared at me – seemingly confused. Part of me recognised that she was going to accept her face – the prophecy had predicted her potential death but my decision had tilted her perspective both of the world and of herself. Maybe now she could escape her own demons, use the shadow magic she was given for good instead of evil. My eyes scanned her for wounds, seeing most of her injuries slowly healing but the blood remaining where it was – the only evidence of the extensive trauma she had experienced.

"As you can see my champion, the battle is over. Your little army has conquered Mianite and the darkness and the prophecy has been fulfilled. They will soon be returned home."

Confusion flickered across my face, why weren't they being returned now? I had fulfilled the prophecy; from what I had interpreted it to mean then my friends should have been waking up in the real world right now, not wandering around on a battlefield. My lady must've seen the confusion on my face as she interrupted my mental ramblings with her soothing voice.

"The forces at work are awaiting Fate's signal to send them home, we are just waiting on one final decision from you. Walk with me Jordan."

Ianite helped me get to my feet, allowing me to put most of my weight onto her as we walked out of the house and across a seemingly empty dimension. It was empty, transparent blocks everywhere as we continued walking – seeing Ianite's house disappear out of sight and the battle beneath us fall out of view. Soon three figures came into view – Fate, Dianite and Mianite. I froze on the spot as my lady waved at them, a completely happy expression on her face at the sight of her two brothers and the all-powerful Fate. Mianite's appearance had returned to normal, the kind and peaceful smile that normally graced his face had returned. Dianite looked calm, a wary look still remaining in his eye whenever he looked at his brother. Fate however was staring at me, his eyes flickering between different colours as he waited for me to approach the godly trio. Ianite gestured for me to come closer, an encouraging expression on her face as I walked reluctantly over to them. I gestured for Fate to begin talking, not wanting to drag this out any longer than necessary.

"You have come a long way Jordan. From being undecided of your loyalty, to choosing your lady, to saving her and now you have saved us all. I am impressed. You took on a great burden when you decided to accept the prophecy and I apologise for any harm it may have caused you. That sword wound looks nasty. However, as Ianite has rightly stated, your role is not yet over. You have one more decision to make in order to end the prophecy and to help your friends."

I glanced at the other gods, feeling the aura of solemnity surrounding me as I listened to Fate. I wasn't sure how to react or what to say in response to Fate's comments and apparently neither did any of the gods, staying silent and not meeting Fate's eyes as he spoke.

"Your friends have two options of how this prophecy could come to a close. Either way, the three additional heroes will be removed and taken back to reality – their memories wiped of the entire experience. Lisette, Nyx and Chelcie will be safe from any future ordeals no matter what you choose."

I understood what Fate was saying, they hadn't been a part of this from the beginning, and it wasn't their battle to fight. They had been dragged into this just because they had a connection with us not because they had volunteered to fight this battle. I nodded, gesturing for Fate to continue.

"These are your two options. Option 1 – you and your friends will remain in the world of Mianite however only you will retain the memories of what has occurred over the past two months. Option 2 – you remain in Mianite and all your friends will be allowed to leave however they will retain their memories of what has happened. This is your choice and yours alone, we cannot interfere once the decision has been made. What will it be young champion?"

My mind raced with another big decision I had to make on behalf of my friends. I wasn't sure how to go about it. I had to protect my friends, I knew that but it was the lesser of two evils in this scenario. If they left Mianite, they would go mad – the memories that seemed so real yet under logical observation were utterly impossible. They would go mad with grief and fear, insanity and paranoia wrecking what little of a life they would have left. However if we remained in Mianite, their memories would be forcibly taken from them – I had a hand in removing something that was rightfully theirs. I don't know how I would cope with being responsible for that. I sighed, knowing the decision was the right one.

"We will remain in Mianite. Take their memories from them and we shall follow the story of this land for the rest of time. However I have one request, if we ever leave this realm – to venture to another. Please take my memories also; I do not want to remember what I have lost."

Fate merely nodded, waving his hands in an intricate pattern and chanting to himself, creating a wave of light mist that began to float towards me – causing me to slowly become drowsy as I inhaled it. My vision blurred and I toppled backwards, Ianite catching my legs and Dianite carrying my torso as we seemed to fly over the world, slowing as I was placed down in the courthouse next to the others. My body was numb, paralysed as I lay still on the cold quartz floor and watched through my peripheral vision as Tom, Tucker and Sonja were brought in next to me – each of them completely unconscious as the gods hovered over them and fiddled with their minds. Lisette, Chelcie and Nyx slowly faded from sight – returning back to the real world without us or their memories. Caitlin had a quick conversation with Lady Ianite before she nodded and walked away, meeting my eye briefly in a farewell – those normally tortured eyes now shining with hope and their half black iris now a full purple.

The gods soon flew away, Fate leading the way and gesturing for the others to hurry up as they gave their champions a lingering look – mostly full of apologies. Ianite stared into my eyes, with an unfathomable expression that warned me that more was to come in the future, something that I may not be able to battle alone. As soon as my lady left my line of sight, I felt the paralysis vanish and the exhaustion that had been seeping over my body vanish. I pulled myself to my feet, tucking my shirt in to hide the bandages that were peeking out of my trousers before turning back and awaiting my friend's awakening. I wasn't sure what I'd say to them, I wasn't sure what memories the gods had removed and which remained. I needed to set up a false life for myself and ensure that they accepted their own – it was the only way we could all be happy.

A groan from my right made me glance across at Tom, him sitting up and clutching his head in pain as I walked over to him. I grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feet, allowing him to use me as a balancing post before I gave him a golden apple to deal with the headache. Whatever they used to knock the others out must've hit like a truck. Sonja and Tucker soon got up, whining more than Tom and requiring two golden apples each to make them be quiet. After a while of silence, filled with the occasional grumble – Tom spoke out:

"So, Sparklez. What happened?"

I shrugged my shoulders, nibbling on a piece of steak as I glanced at their expressions – seeing trusting gazes staring back at me. I rolled my eyes, forcing out a chuckle as I spoke the first of what would soon be a long string of lies:

"You lot drank a bit too much of the pirate's grog. Again!"