I blacked out for a time. It was hard to tell for how long, but I woke up to the sound of a voice that sounded old and trustworthy.
"Darren..." the voice beckoned, "Your journey is far from over. Wake up and save the realm. Eternity rests in your hands..."
I couldn't see anything in the darkness and so I felt around for Eldwyn. He was underneath me and I was thankful for that. I hoped that my armor would be enough to protect him from the rubble that covered us.
"Eldwyn," I said, "how are you?"
"Just fine," he said pleasantly enough. "But I would like to be out from under here."
"I am working on that." With all my might, I grabbed onto the rubble beneath me and attempted to push myself up. The first two times it didn't budge and on the third, I finally felt it give a little. I gave myself a few seconds rest, then pushed up again, grunting loudly and forcing enough of it off of us so that I could stand erect. I pulled Eldwyn up onto his feet and he coughed out dust. I brushed him off and patted him on the back.
"Are you well, knight?" he asked between coughs.
"I'm well enough," I said.
"I've got something," said Eldwyn, as he pulled out a pouch from his pocket. He opened it and pulled out a redberry, handing it to me. "Grayberries. They're for strength and healing. They won't cure everything, but they should help."
I ate the berry and I immediately felt the effects. The soreness in my muscles were alleviated and I felt reinvigorated. "Let's go," I said, and we went onto the castle, worse for wear, but none the less committed, and made it to the steps of the iron fortress.
"Do we knock?" asked Eldwyn.
"Absolutely not." I lifted my knee and kicked open the door. Inside was a dim and gray long hall with hanging, black candelabras with only half of their candles lit. The black strip of carpet led to the high throne made of black iron. Sitting on the seat was a beautiful woman that looked to be in her twenties. Her hair was brown and long and she wore a strapless tiered white dress that ballooned out dramatically. She had a smile on her face, not one of evil, but one of peacefulness and that was more disconcerting than all else.
"Welcome," she said sweetly.
I paused a moment, then Eldwyn and I walked towards her. "Let's have at it, then," I said, slashing an X into the air with my sword as a warm-up.
"So brazen," she said, raising her shoulders then dropping them. "Don't you want to know why I have done what I've done to your Askeran?"
"No, your reasons matter not. I only wish to defeat you and rid you from these lands forevermore."
"But, you can't, you see? Not unless I allow you to defeat me." She stood up and lifted the bottom of her dress, walking down the five steps and dropped her dress at the bottom. "The story has already been told and we all must play our parts."
"What do you mean?" asked Eldwyn, as we stood a few feet away from her.
"Don't listen to her," I said, glaring at her. "She can't be trusted."
"Such anger." She shook her head. "I'm the only creature in this entire world that you can trust. I know the truth of all truths; that this place—your land, your castle, and your crown aren't real. I come from the underworld and the overworld, crossing seas of time to deliver you this message O noble knight. You are being guided by outside forces, like all things, only your tale is a much sadder one because none of this matters. Your throne is no more real than a memory destined to be forgotten. Irrelevant. Imaginary. Your tale has been told many times, over and over with you standing there and me standing here. There are subtle differences, but what remains true is that I remain. In one form or another, I always return to wreak havoc and give your meaningless little life meaning. I am the queen of dreams and all that lies between. You have entered my kingdom in the clouds, which is far more real than Sentria, Stargon, or Cordath. These are all just metaphors for the truth that lies beyond the walls of creation. Time itself is teaching people lessons that they refuse to listen to, which forces us to meet again and again and again under different circumstances. It's tedious and dreadful, and that is why I'm destroying it once and for all. I am the Oblivion Witch after all, and oblivion is what I have to offer."
"You're a speaker of lies!" I said to her, lifting my sword. "And you will die for your curses!" I came for her with all my speed, but she lifted her hand and stopped me as if I was encased in a block of ice.
"Release him!" said Eldwyn, creating a ball of ice between his hands.
"You have two options, boy," said the Oblivion Witch, "You can come with me if you'd like to see the beginning of endings, or, you can burn with this world and become but a memory."
"I will never stand at your side!" I said, trying in vain to fight her magicks.
Suddenly, the castle around us disappeared and there were clouds beneath our feet again. They darkened to a black and the temperature increased. "So be it," she said and closed her eyes for a few seconds. When she opened them again, she smiled. "Right now, balls of fire are raining down upon Askeran. Enjoy your last moments."