Skull and Bones || Creek ✔️

Final Part

- What Comes After -

November 18th, 1717
Paradise Island
Tweek

My eyes slowly flutter open, the shining sun burns my irises as I begin to sit up. I groan in pain and clench my stomach as my agony intensifies.

"So your finally awake," Tolkien speaks from across a small campsite, I look at him panicked and look around for my sword.

He waves it at me, taunting me. "Looking for this Tweek?" He throws the sword to the side and stares into my soul, a malicious smile extends across his lips, "So you were able to kill Craig, that's a feat not many are able to even come close to doing."

"He fought his hardest, he died the way he lived... a coward." I spit, I glare back at the man but still that smile remains on his face as though it's permanently engraved. "Are you going to kill me?"

He starts to laugh, "No."

"Then what are we doing here, there must be a reason you have kept me alive," I ponder aloud, Tolkien cocks his head and glares daggers into mine. He slowly lifts his finger and points at me, "You can still complete the prophecy, I just saved your life and finally now I have become your vassal."

Tolkien stands from his seat and outstretches his arms, "Let me die by your blade and then you can complete Craig's dream, the same goal we all shared," He speaks with passion and intensity, but those are not the words of Tolkien but instead they sound only of Craig.

"This is not what I want... this Map is a key to destruction and nothing more, because of this Map how many people have you and Craig butchered?" I ask, I slowly stand and meet his gaze, eye to eye.

"This is your destiny Tweek, this is what we saved you for. We started as enemies on different sides of the same war, we welcomed you into our home and showed you everything you didn't know about our world and finally now we can stand together as allies and build this world into something better... take a leap with me Tweek." Tolkien says. He kneels down with his arms still outstretched, he closes his eyes tightly, "Plunge that sword into my chest and finish all of our stories."

"This is not right... I refuse."

"You... refuse?" Tolkien looks down and sighs deeply, grabs a dagger from his belt he throws it at me and it lands upright just a few inches from my foot, "Pick it up, if you won't change your mind. I will find someone else who will!"

I reach down and pick up the small blade and point it towards him, he unsheathes his sword and lunges at me. I thrust the dagger forward and connect with flesh, Tolkiens body falls limp as he falls to the ground. I drop the blade and sit down next to the fallen man, he looks back up at me. "The prophecy is complete..." He starts to laugh, "The game is yours to play now, too win or too lose."

Tolkien slowly fades into darkness, as his lifeless eyes glaze over.

Suddenly a large beam of light erupts from the centre of the island, I stare up at it as a large gust of wind swirls all around kicking up sand and throwing leaves all over the place. I gaze up in awe at the pure beauty of it all, that feeling of unease begins to fade as the fog surrounding the island disappears and the vast ocean around me becomes as clear as can be.

I move towards the light like a moth to a flame, I can't even feel my legs move but it feels as though I am being lured, tugged towards it.

I reach the source and enter the same cave where it all ended, the dark cavern is now a beacon... an oasis hidden among the cold cave. It feels angelic, almost perfect. The bodies of the Four Horseman litter the cave as does Clyde's, blood lines the walls and in the centre of the room sits the Map of Fate, sitting on the altar.

My hand reaches towards it and I grab it. A feeling of overwhelming power fuels my weak body as I hold the literal future in my hands. I slowly start to walk out of the cave with the Map in my hands, I walk around the island mindlessly as the light of the island begins to fade into a lifeless void as darkness swirls overhead I come to a stop. This is the place.

Craig's body sits there in its lifeless position, in the same spot I last saw him... he is truly dead.

I look at his body and back at the Map, a feeling of regret begins to set in. I fall to my knees and stare blankly at Craig, tears begin to form around my eyes.

"I won't make the same mistakes you did Craig, I won't let this Map change who I am."

***

Flames spew out of the small campfire, I stare into a fire, I look at its beauty but also think about its destructive nature and then my gaze shifts to the Map in my hand.

"The same mistakes..." I say aloud to no one but myself, I lift the Map up and drop it into the flames. I watch on as Map of Fate burns, "I have already found what I truly desire."

I stare at the embers until the fire turns into ash, I sit there unmoving waiting for something, for anything to happen. I just burned the most sought after Artefact to ever exist, and now I sit alone, my mind is racing and I can feel my time slowly coming to an end.

My eyelids begin to become heavy... I lean against Craig's lifeless body and slowly close my eyes and the last thing I will ever see is the sun rising for a new day is upon us.

It's beautiful

***

The End.