text: "Thank me?" you ask, surprised. "Thank me for what?"
  
  "You have done a great service to me by defeating the traitorous Elf Adwar, who called himself the Demon Necromancer," the Creator says, smiling. "I do not say this lightly. You defeated one who sought to destroy everything that I'd built, but things will become worse still for the Seven Holy Races. You have many troubles ahead of you, son of Light.
  
  "Adwar stabbed you with an arm blade coated in dragon venom," the Creator continues. "Without my help, you will die. Which is why I have brought you before me. If I heal you- and this cannot be undone; you will remain immune to all poisons and sickness for the rest of your days, but not enchantment- do you promise to continue to serve Light and all that is good?"
  
  "Yes," you say. You're eager to finally be freed of the poison that plagues your body. Even now, you are weakening. You can feel the life draining away.
  
  "Good," says the Creator, and, striding towards you, he taps your head gently. Instantly you feel the pain leave, and life begins to return to you. "Go now, Aric, and fulfill your promise to me. If you do well, I will make you and your wife honored members of my court upon your deaths."
  
  "You mean that this isn't your court?" you ask, confused.
  
  The Creator laughs, then says, "Wouldn't you think that my court would have the spirits of the heroes of ages long passed, rather than sit here all by my lonesome? Wouldn't you think that I have a kingdom, where I am ruler of all alongside a queen? Aric, I may rule Anaria, but it is only a small fraction of the worlds I hold. Your world is not the only one that I created. Hopefully, with the help of the Race of Men, you will reach beyond the stars and meet the inhabitants of those worlds."
  
  The connection breaks, and you find yourself to be asleep, still sitting in Rezaick's saddle. Then you feel a call for aid, yet you wish to continue sleeping, wanting to recover from the ordeal that you have been through.
  
  > wake Up
  You wake to find yourself under attack from a strange creature from the Western Ocean below you. It resembles a massive octopus, with 12 long, serpentine arms. You see one swinging through the air towards you. Pulling back on Rezaick's reins, you gasp in pain. While the Creator did cure you of the Dragon venom, he didn't heal you of the stab wound that Adwar inflicted upon you.
  
  Drawing the Sword of Light, you hack through a second arm, the severed appendage dropping to the water and sinking. You watch as Naric and Silver-Fang dive down towards the monster's "head", Silver-Fang gouging and scorching its flesh with her claws and fire, while Naric summons the Gusts of the Storm, causing the creature to be pressed into the water.
  
  Clutching at your stomach, you point the Sword of Light at the beast, and a beam of focused light flies from the blade, burning the duodecapus's body. The creature gives a strange, submerged roar of pain and anger, and then dives beneath the waves.
  
  Your brother looks to you with an expression of bewilderment, then resumes escorting you back to the Elvish Empire for healing. Your eyes close again from the fatigue, and there's only black.
  
  > The Infirmary
  You wake again, you find yourself back in the infirmary. A year ago you were here, and it was here that you had recieved your mechanical arm. Looking down at your stomach as you sit up, you find it to be wrapped in white bandages. Strangely, you don't feel any pain.
  
  One of the medics notices you awake, and then she scurries away. When she returns, Aercaena is following her, a bundle of wrapped cloth in her arms. She smiles when she sees you, her white teeth like pearls. Aercaena doesn't say anything as she sits down next to you, handing you the bundle. The small face of an Elvish boy with black hair and amber eyes stares at you, his expression indifferent to the world around him.
  
  "What's his name?" you ask, smiling as you cradle him in your arms. He gives a small smile and reaches for you.
  
  "Nornien," Aercaena says. You recognize it as the name of the first Elvish King.
  
  "I failed again," you say, your smile fading slightly. "I defeated Adwar but I didn't retrieve the Sword of Shadows."
  
  "It's alright," Aercaena says. "From what Naric said, it fell into the Eastern Ocean. It's gone for good this time."
  
  "That evil blade has a mind of its own, I swear. It will come back, and when that happens, I don't know if I'll be able to fend of the Darkness it brings."
  
  "You won't be alone," Aercaena says, gripping your hand. "There is still hope."
  
  > Epilogue
  The Sword of Shadows sank through the black waters, devoid of light. As much as it wished to stay here in the darkness, it had to finish its mission of destroying Light and breaking the Gates of Restraint. Just before it touched the bottom, the evil blade commanded the darkness surrounding it to bring it back to the surface. As the darkness collected around it, the evil blade gave a second command to take it to the Demon King, Swenzeer. It gave a thought of discuss as the memory of Adwar came to its malicious mind. The Demon Necromancer had failed in defeating the Phoenix Rider and the Sword of Light.
  
  As the Sword of Shadows was rushed to the air above, it vowed to never rest until Light had fallen. Suddenly, it burst from the waters, flying to the pits of Synorack, the Demon Kingdom. The darkness formed into a vaguely humanoid shape, the Sword of Shadows firmly in its hand. The sky here was always black, so the creature had no need to fear Light from the sun.
  
  The creature came to the City of Demons, and the people there made no action to avoid it as it traversed through the long streets of black stone. Instead, they simply smiled at the sight of it and turned back to their business; here, the sight of such beings was quite common. Nearing the gates of King Swenzeer's palace, the guards opened the great iron wrought doors to allow the shadow inside.
  
  The shadow found King Swenzeer inside, seated upon a throne of obsidian. The Demon King saw the black blade in its hand, then smiled. Tossing aside his cloak of black wool, he revealed a Sword of Power almost identical to the Sword of Shadows, the only difference being that the gem in its pommel was white, not black. This was the Sword of Discontent, opposite to the Sword of Unity wielded by King Vorinar of the Elves.
  
  Gesturing to one of the eight Demon Princes seated next to his throne, Swenzeer commanded told the shadow to give the Sword of Shadows. This Demon Prince was Gorthrix, the only son that had not yet recieved a Sword of Power. The silver-haired Prince of Evil took the black sword in his hand, testing its weight. Nodding, Gorthrix placed the blade inside the sheath at his side, then sat down next to his father.
  
  "We must prepare for war immediately," Swenzeer said. "The 7 Blessed Races have only 3 Swords of Power, whilst we have 9. They will not survive the onslaught that will ensue. The Gates of Restraint shall be broken, and we shall spread the Darkness of the Void across the expanses of Anaria!"