Kasimir''s energy grew as he hoisted the scepter, though not as much as Abad''s had. The scepter still was his, for now. However, as the lich pointed the rod at Abad, he accepted that he couldn''t stop the mage. There was nothing more he could do. He already gave his best.


    "I have all the power you once wielded in my hands right here. With your defeat, I should be its master, no?" The skeleton almost seemed to grin as he waved the scepter around. Shadows poured from the implement, surrounding the mountaintop in a black dome. It caused the black sky to darken further, blotting out the last of the tower''s fading light. The creature stomped up to Abad and kicked him in the chest. Abad felt a rib crack as he was thrown back.


    [Devour Essence]


    Hardly anything pulled from the lich''s spirit. The creature had little left to give, even with [Final Law]. Abad barely managed to stand back up with what he took. He was so close.


    Kasimir cackled. "Perhaps I don''t need you after all." He swung the raven-headed scepter and hit Abad in the arm, throwing the elf onto his side. The warlock screamed as his arm nearly broke. "I realize my error now. I''ve been relying on you creatures when I merely needed this right here." He brandished [Final Law], not realizing he was weak enough to be affected by the object''s dark will. "Begone, foul thing."


    The black seal appeared under them again, but this time, there wasn''t enough light with Abad''s spirit to stop the shadows from entering him. Within seconds, Abad felt his mind fade into the void. He looked up at the lich and smiled softly. "At least I''ll die as me. Do it. Set me free."


    This was his time.


    "Goodbye, Abad." The lich placed a foot against his throat, forcing him to stay still. Pressing his skeletal foot down, Abad choked as Kasimir began whispering foul words. Abad knew the spell. [Soul Shatter]. It would rip his soul apart. The seal would claim his essence, but he''d be gone. A fitting end, he supposed. He''d never really existed anyway.


    Then, he saw a shadow cut through the black dome above.


    Just as the scepter began to glow with a sickly green light, the black shadow shot downward, striking Kasimir''s skeletal arm. The lich screeched as his spell fired harmlessly off the mountaintop. The shadow landed on the stone and transformed. As fast as it fell, the thing leaped back up, driving two silver blades into the mage''s arm. Wrapping its body around the lich''s limb, the blades flashed as it stabbed again and again, hacking at bone and sinew until black essence poured from the man''s ruined limb.


    Kasimir roared as he tried to claw the little creature off. He grabbed its fire-red hair and wrenched back, his bones creaking as he did. For a brief moment, everything stood still. Then, with a final heave, there was a sickening crack, and the little creature''s head wrenched backward. Its little body went limp, and two small daggers clattered to the ground. [Final Law] fell a second before the lich''s arm rattled against the ground and crumbled into dust. The mage threw the little creature to Abad''s feet. It rolled until its golden eyes met his. They were filled with love as they gazed upon him, and a small satisfied smile lit up the woman''s face. Red motes floated from her body and filled Abad''s spirit a final time.


    Everything disappeared in that moment. All he could see was her. Then, with a heartbroken scream, Abad leaped to his feet and charged the man, willing his last dregs of magic and life into [Sanguine Gift]. The lich tried to reach for the scepter but was too slow.


    [Burn the Weak]


    Scintillating flames roared to life in Abad''s palms as he slammed into the creature, throwing them both back onto the stone platform. The two tumbled to the ground, but Abad was on top of the man before he could recover. He struck the lich once, twice, then pressed his flaming thumbs into the skeleton''s gaping eye sockets and pressed down. The lich''s skull crackled and groaned from the intensity of the warlock''s flames. Abad felt the lich''s remaining energy enter him through the flames as his skull smoked. The lich screeched, but Abad didn''t stop.


    [Devour Essence]


    Abad tore the mage''s energy from him and used it to empower his flames. The lich writhed and twitched as the flames bit into him, cascading around the black runes etched into his bones, which began to bleed like ink on white paper across his charred bones. Abad could smell the sharp acrid odor of scorched bone filling the air. Blood poured from his nose as he pushed as much of himself as he could into his spell. His flames sputtered from the tears that streamed down his face.


    [Devour Essence]


    The lich struck him, but Abad felt nothing as more energy entered him. He pressed on, feeling the lich''s skull crack under his palms. The air was filled with the mage''s cries as his skull crumbled. Empowered by the imp''s presence and the darkness around him, he pushed everything into his spell, fueling it with every bit of pain within his black spirit, until there was only dust, and then he burned that too. The lich''s screams faded on the wind, but still, Abad burned it all away until all was silent save Abad''s ragged breathing. Only then did he let the flames gutter out. Blood poured like a river from his nose, but he didn''t care. He tried to stand, but he couldn''t, so he crawled toward his beloved familiar. Reaching her, he lifted her to his chest, cradling her body.


    Her breaths were shallow and weak. "... Master..." Angra whispered, looking up at him with those same loving eyes he remembered. He leaned down, planting his forehead against hers. Her red locks mingled with his. He was silent. There were no words. He hugged the girl tight, her limp arms swinging as he did.


    She struggled to speak. "...I missed you so much... All this time... It was so lonely without you..." Her voice broke.


    His throat clenched. It struck him. She had always been there. She sacrificed everything for him time and again, but he never gave it a second thought. He realized in that moment she was his most prized treasure, the one thing he''d most valued, and now he would lose her too.


    She gasped as she spoke. "...I didn''t... want to die alone...like you did..." A weak smile pulled at her cheeks. Tears welled in her eyes. "...A voice told me to stay here... She told me I''d see you again if I did... I''m happy I listened..."


    He couldn''t breathe. Couldn''t speak. Her breathing slowed as he cradled her against his chest. He searched his mind for anything that could save her. Some spell, some ability, anything. As her chest began to rattle, he tried to heal her, but he couldn''t even do that. He had nothing left to give. That''s when he noticed a sliver of sparkling essence float off her red skin. He watched as it danced in the wind, then faded away. Her essence was returning to the world.


    He lifted her to his face. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Her skin had begun to cool as he held her. "No..." He was too weak. He couldn''t save anyone. Not back then, and not today. She was dying, and there wasn''t anything he could do about it.


    He looked around, searching for anything. And at the edge of the platform, he saw it. [Final Law].If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Still cradling his beloved familiar in his arms, he crawled to his scepter. Reaching it, he took it in his hand and pulled it toward her.


    He felt the power of the scepter cascade into him as [Final Law] recognized its master. The rod''s strength poured through him, fortifying his soul, his body, and his spirit. He pulled on it all and cast a spell.


    [Essence Transfer]


    Essence poured from him into Angra''s broken body, but it bled out of her and into the night.


    [Essence Transfer]


    Descending into himself, he tapped his core. His body shook as he poured himself into the spell. His vision went black with the effort, but still, she faded.


    "[No]," he whispered, lacing his words with power, and the mountains shook with his voice. "[I refuse to lose her too]." As he exerted his will on reality, pushing against the very fabric of creation, he could feel the enchantments binding her breaking down. He couldn''t undo this. With each passing second, she faded more. Her body began to grow translucent as the enchantments giving her shape decayed. "[NO]!" His voice thundered through the world, echoing off of everything, shaking the earth itself. Power swelled within him, and [Final Law]''s raven eyes sparked and glowed, but still, it wasn''t enough. Abad felt the flow shift. The world''s essence was spent and what was left began to bleed back into him, finally freed from the spell that summoned an age ago.


    His voice became hoarse as he screamed, unleashing the full might of his will. The earth shook violently as reality rebelled, but he didn''t care. He wouldn''t lose her. He refused. A torrent of energy flowed through him and into Angra, but it returned to him through their bond.


    And then those words came to him once again. Would you do it again if you could? Would he make the same choices again? Would he hold fast to his nature and unleash death, chaos, and ruin upon the world? Or would he choose a new path? He looked down at his beloved familiar, then at the scepter. The same one his mistress gave him an age ago. He had all the power in the world, but he couldn''t save even one thing he loved, time and time again.


    He threw his head back, screaming in defiance at the sky above, shaking the foundations of Reial. He heard rumbling in the distance. An avalanche of snow and stones careened from the mountains, raining into the valleys below. His roar reverberated across the skies and echoed through the valleys, into Elysium, and the Wilds, and the Depths below.


    "[Please]." His words whispered through the world, carried on the winds to unknown places.


    Then, silence.


    His red eyes pierced the night as he looked at his fading companion. He brought her body to his chest, his eyes searching hers. They were dim now, and her breath was nearly spent.


    [Teleportation]


    The world bent, and everything went black. An instant later, he was back at the teleportation seal in Farnfoss. Shouts and cries filled the air, and dozens of people were running to and fro as armed soldiers filled the streets. One of the guards noticed him collapsed within the seal, shouted, and drew his sword. Focusing, Abad imagined Selene''s statue.


    [Teleportation]


    This time, he appeared in the center of the manor''s courtyard, Selene''s beautiful face looking down on him from above. Dozens of Bolton''s men had been rounded up, and many fey''ra were being escorted into the courtyard. He heard shouting behind him. Amid the crowd were a pair of elven women and the half-elf Abad had seen before in the throne room. The man was shouting to the many armed and armored figures present, trying to create order out of the chaos. Next to the girls was Zethari, and behind her, amid the many chained people, was Keila. Abad tried to rise but couldn''t. He looked around for anything that could help him, and Zethari''s eyes met his. She cried out, and the various people present noticed him for the first time.


    "[Help me]." His voice echoed through the courtyard, his empowered words washing over them. He tried to stand again but fell, the little imp in his arms fading further, her breath rattling horribly. Even with the scepter''s power, he couldn''t keep using [Dominion].


    Zethari darted forward and picked him up as if he were nothing. "Nightstalker. Guide me."


    "Take me to the throne room." His voice croaked.


    Zethari nodded and took him in her arms. She charged, and in an instant, her powerful legs took four steps at a time. Mere moments later, they were in the room. He heard dozens of footsteps trailing them.


    "[Be sealed]." The doors to the throne room slammed shut. His nose was bleeding again. "I need to find something. If this is my vault''s treasure, there should be several small red stones here somewhere." He scanned the room and realized it had been torn apart by Kasimir''s spell. Nearly every display case was splintered or completely destroyed. He knew they wouldn''t find it in time. The imp''s essence was nearly spent.


    She was nearly gone.


    "[Stone of souls, reveal yourself]." He nearly passed out. For several moments, nothing happened, and Abad despaired. But then, a soft glow emitted from the far side of the room.


    Zethari set him down, disappeared into the clutter, and reappeared with the small glowing object. Taking it into his hands, he pressed it to Angra''s breast.


    [Soul Trap]


    The faded imp glowed brightly as the essence that made up her physical form began to break apart. As it did, the small rock glowed a deep crimson. Her body began to dissolve into hundreds of motes of black, red, and gold light, but the motes were muted and weak. There wasn''t enough of her left. The motes dissolved before they could enter the stone. She needed more. She wouldn''t survive without more. She''d be gone forever.


    He looked at [Final Law] and made a choice.


    [Corruption]


    He tore apart the enchantments that had created the scepter. The wooden haft cracked, and shadows leaked from the object as its dark will begged him to stop.


    [Essence Transfer]


    He channeled the scepter''s energy into himself, then into Angra''s essence. The black inscriptions upon [Final Law]''s haft began to fade, then a wave of shadows erupted from the wood, obscuring the throne room in darkness blacker than the darkest night. Cold, black winds tore at his skin as each sigil shattered. He fed the energy to her, whispering soft words to his dearest friend, willing her to come back. He felt as the wood and metal grew cold until it crumbled in his hands, the raven-head handle falling to the ground with a dull clang. As [Final Law] turned to dust, he kept channeling its foundational magics into his familiar. And as her final breath escaped her breast, her body broke into thousands of scintillating motes, which gently swirled around him.


    He froze.


    He failed.


    He''d lost everything.


    For a long moment, he sat, paralyzed, watching the essence that was his dearest friend swirling lazily around him.


    Then, a soft thin ray of light pierced through the ruined ceiling of the manor and illuminated the swirling essence. At first, it was soft and dim, but as the moments went on, more and more light filled the air, until the entire space glowed with light. The motes of essence resonated with the light and began to shimmer as they merged into one another., growing stronger as they combined with the shadows released from the scepter.


    The cloud of combined essences coalesced and entered the red stone. The orb grew brighter as it filled, and before long, every wisp that made up Angra was sealed inside the crystal. Abad clutched the orb tightly to his chest, tears streaming down his face. His breathing was shallow, coming in painful, labored gasps as he held her spirit close. Her presence within the crystal resonated with him, calling to him, comforting him, reassuring him.


    He''d done it. He''d finally saved something.


    His scroll unfurled.


    <hr><hr>


    [The Thing You Refused to Lose]: There comes a moment when even the most resolute must face a choice that defines their very soul. You have sacrificed great power for the sake of what you cherish most, proving that your heart is not for sale, even to the allure of ultimate power. For this, you are rewarded not with strength but with the return of what you hold most dear.


    [Familiar] has been lost.


    You may summon a new familiar in a year and a day.


    [Lord of Nothing] has been lost.


    <hr><hr>


    As he cradled his dear familiar, Abad heard a series of thuds, a loud creaking filled the air, and the doors to the room collapsed as the last dregs of his power disappeared. A group of soldiers entered the room.


    "We''ve got him cornered now! This is your end, foul beast!" Abad watched the speaker, a young man, draw his sword, his brown eyes shining with courage and conviction.


    Zethari growled, and Abad watched as the woman grew to twice her height. Her form twisted and shifted until she became a great humanoid wolf. She howled at the men, who backed away in fear, their conviction lost in the face of such a mighty creature.


    "Stand down!" A strong woman''s voice sounded from behind them. The half-elf entered the room, with Firtz and the others following closely behind. And behind them was the Divine Hero, Faye, her piercing blue eyes boring into Abad''s soul.