The Stars Are Dimming

GWYNDALE

Gwyndale and Sermorph stepped into the Singing hall together. He did not know what Sermorph was thinking, but in his minds he was sombre, having lost all the battles to the darkness and soon the capital would be under the Unnamed.

"Here, Mesir's statue," Gwyndale led Sermorph up a carved stone staircase behind the statue as Gwyndale ran his hands on the runes in the railings of the staircase. Their shoes echoed into the darkness, and they continued until they reached the top.

"This is where I found it, and to no one I had ever disclosed it," Gwyndale whispered, and Sermorph reached forward and brushed his hand lightly on the stone, for he could barely see anything in the darkness.

It was smooth at first, then he felt something, a tiny crack within the stone that was barely thin enough to insert a piece of paper into it.

"You feel it?" Gwyndale asked, and Sermorph nodded. Then, Gwyndale tensed. He sensed evil emanating from the dark corners of the hall. He placed a finger on his lips, and Sermorph nodded.

They waited, and from the corner of the cave a someone unsheathed his blade, and the blade radiated a dull red, flames dancing and flickering on the metal.

"How did you enter the Singing Hall?" Gwyndale took a step back, and the unnamed raised his flaming sword, "Why, it would be easier. Look at those spirits, whom you call the guardians of the hall? They are weak, so weak I could snuff out their lifeforce with a snap of my fingers!"

The unnamed took a step forward again, "Come, just yield and death shall not be as painful for you."

"What do you want from us?" Gwyndale ignored him and asked, "There is nothing good for you here. Leave!"

"You think I don't know?" The muffled voice behind the cloak said, "The secret that many men could kill for that Mesir's statue holds. I have finally found it, and don't try to stop me."

The unnamed took a step forward, and from Gwyndale's palms, two axes shot out towards him. He leapt high up, and when he landed the axes shattered into a million pieces.

"I see that you chose the worst way possible, to die the cruellest deaths!" He shrieked, and with a flick of his hand, Gwyndale and Sermorph were numb, stranded before the evil. They could not speak, and could only watch as the unnamed held his sword high, ready to pour blood on the ground.

"Hey!" A voice rang out, and a silver spear shot at him from behind, penetrating his tunic. He turned, and Thea stood in the doorway. From the wound droplets of blood seeped out from his tunic, but he did not seem to mind.

"Another little rat. Seeking death here, ain't you?" The unnamed pulled Thea through the air towards him, "No one can kill me." He hurled Thea towards where Gwyndale and Sermorph was, and a cage materialised, trapping all three wizards within it.

"What weaklings, I had expected more from you!" He pulled out the spear, and the wound healed instantly, "Finally, unlimited power shall be mine!"

He concentrated for a moment, and the statue burst open, massive boulders showering the entire cavern. Holding out his hand, a scroll was flung from between two boulders into his hands.

"Finally, all is set, I could finally butcher you now," The unnamed turned to the masters, grinning but froze for a moment, somehow sensing that somewhere, someone seemed to be destroying his powers, "Wait a moment -- there is a visitor."

The unnamed disappeared in a puff of mist, and the scroll was too. The hall was silent, and Gwyndale finally could move again.

"How did he enter this hall?" Thea said as she busted the cage open, "This is a sacred place!"

"He is unstoppable," Gwyndale let out a tired sigh, "Now I could only think of one man who could stop him -- Mesir the Ancient himself."

Just then, a disciple hurried in, and called out to the masters, "Masters Gwyndale, come quickly! There is someone on the stars!"

***

The stars could barely be seen, and from afar a tiny figure could be seen, arms outstretched and from his hands healing magic extended, flowing like water, garnishing the stars.

Around him and the stars, a bright yellow ring formed, brightening the entire sky. The clouds parted, and when they peered up the sky was not simply dark, but a myriad of colours, light and dark, and the stars rejuvenated before their eyes, power surging into the Seven Stars and it glowed a dazzling hue, brighter than anyone had ever seen before.

"Who is that?" Gwyndale asked, then paused, "Wait, that magic seems peculiar."

"Why so?" Thea turned to Gwyndale.

"This is... the essence of the light and the dark magic, combined."