The Tweed family and Drealin, their loyal companion, were sprinting down the corridors of the underground passageway. The sound of large timber crackling above them, the earth tearing apart, filled their ears. Fear and urgency propelled them further into the depths of the underground.
Pa, the stalwart leader, guided his family through the tunnels, their hands tightly clasped. The darkness, though oppressive, did not hinder their progress. Unlike Sir Drealin, whose blindness in the dark was a stark contrast to the keen sight of the wood elves, adept at hunting in such conditions.
"If my memory serves me right, there should be an enormous cavern up ahead," Drealin said uncertainly, his voice filled with uncertainty. "We could seek refuge there, at least until the danger passes if everyone else escapes in time."
"In time for what?" Lily asked, turning her head around to face him.
"If I knew that, we would not be running now, would we? I know it was bad, that is all, unbelievably bad. Didn't you feel it?" he asked.
"Of course we did, Drealin," Lily said, looking at the boy on Pa's shoulders, not knowing what was going on. "It's just I was hoping you knew what it was, that's all."
The Tweeds entered the cavern, finding it partially empty, as people set up little camps around the place. Some more people came in with reports more horrifying than theirs of close escapes with their lives. As the boys search through the group of survivors, their hearts sink, realizing that Richard, Aunty M, and Mary are still missing. Wanting to make their son EJ more comfortable, Drealin located a cozy blanket to cover his naked body. To ensure he had something soft to rest his head on, they used Drealin's coat as a makeshift pillow. "Best I can do, my lady, for now."
Lily took his hand and looked into his gentle eyes. "Thank you, Drealin. You have done your job. Now, please find your family and be with them."
Without another word spoken, he looked far away. "Mrs. Tweed, you are part of my family, and I, too, made a promise, so did my wife and my children sitting over there with her, that we would not leave your side when there was danger around you. So, you better plan to make room or move over there because I am not going anywhere!"
Lily and Arken laugh. Arken said. "Well, if you put it that way. I am in no mood to argue, boys, make some room for our extended family."
"Yes, Pa," they all said.
Outside their little cavern on the mountain, all hell was breaking loose below them. The noise was so loud it shook the ground and the surrounding walls. People huddled in corners with their families for comfort, covering their children from the debris of dirt and rocks that fell around them. Finally, a light from one tunnel with a group of children entered the cavern, with Ned and Richard behind them.
As the lost children ran into the waiting arms of their families, a mix of relief and joy filled the cavern. Richard and Ned, their eyes filled with tears, counted heads in their group. Richard's heart swelled with happiness as he saw EJ again, his voice almost breaking as he shouted his name.
The sight of all the people in the cavern and his brothers brought tears to his eyes, overwhelming him with a mix of joy and sadness. His touch was gentle as he kneeled by the sleeping boy, his fingers lingering on the boy's cheek to confirm that he was indeed there. In that place, his lack of clothing was of no consequence to him or anyone else, as if it didn't exist at all. As they looked at the gathering of children and families, it was clear that the nice summer day had turned into a nightmare - everyone was running for their lives, still naked from their time by the lake.
While: With tears and no words, they surrounded the boy and watched him sleep, nodding. For fear that it would all be just a dream, they did not look away, in case he may leave. They spoke in Elvin's tongue, whispering amongst themselves. It was just as Jayden feared he was being followed by someone, but not who they expected. He waited until he had the boy before making his move.
The soft, mysterious light bathed the cavern as all eyes turned towards Derrick. Standing in the center, he exuded an enigmatic presence, dressed in nothing but a waist robe and barefoot. "People of Springfield, my friends, the hour has come when your journey must begin. I cannot make this journey with you, for mine has already begun, and I must leave you to yours. My friends, I do not leave you wandering in the dark without a guide. He has walked with me and you many miles on the same path as a friend, comrade, and companion."
With his staff in hand, Derrick conjures a brilliant light that floods the cavern, revealing his friend's entrance. Jayden, naked and covered in dirt, coughs violently to expel the dust from his lungs, all while clutching a naked child in his arms. People filled the room, all staring at him and Mary, making him acutely aware of their presence. "What, did I miss something?" Jayden asked, his voice filled with concern, as he handed the grateful mother her child. At that moment, someone kindly offered him a blanket. Jayden brushed it off, assuring them that he was fine, and instead handed the blanket to the child he had been holding.
Derrick laughed and patted him on the back. "Come, my friend, we have lots to discuss why there's still time."
Jayden looked at Derrick as if he missed something. "Time for what?"
"About you taking my place, that's all."
The cavern was abuzz with the news. Mary looked at Jayden and Derrick in the corner by themselves in a closed-off corner. Mary ran over to where Richard was, seeing the small boy sleeping under a borrowed blanket. "Is he?" Richard nodded, watching tears fall down their cheeks. Lily held one hand, and his Pa had the other, watching his little bare chest rise and fall.
Without averting her gaze, Mary vividly recounts the sensory experience of the world beyond the cavern. "The sight is haunting," Mary said, her eyes fixed ahead. "Dead trees, massive rocks, and bolts of lightning mercilessly tearing through homes. The torn and blackened roots of the crops stood as a somber reminder of the destruction that had occurred. There was hardly any greenery left as they quickly dived into an open passageway behind the houses. Jayden sealed it shut as we made our way here. Aunty M is still out there looking for survivors and says there is another cavern about fifteen miles due south and thirty miles due east."
Jayden measured his approach, taking deliberate and calculated steps. His attention momentarily shifted to the boy, taking in the gentle features of his face, before he swiftly turned his eyes away, refusing to let his mind dwell on him any longer. With a complete lack of care, he half-heartedly threw a threadbare blanket around his waist, barely bothering to disguise his nudity. With a tattered old blanket around his waist, he could feel a sense of calm and acceptance settle over him as if the makeshift garment symbolized his readiness for the new role.
The room fell silent for a moment, and then Jayden's voice cut through the air, breaking the tension. "Arken, see if you can find your men in this bunch and see if we can get things a bit more organized." Then he whispered, "He'll be fine." He walked away to another group of men in the corner. Jayden's nakedness, covered only by a raggedy blanket, didn't seem to register with those around them. They, just like the children, were completely bare and didn't seem to care about being exposed, as they watched their own little ones in the cavern, who were also unclothed while enjoying the lake.
Lily's eyes spoke volumes as she gazed at her husband, silently conveying the weight of the situation and the importance of his compliance, no matter how challenging. With a gentle caress, he leans down to stroke his son EJ's face as she whispers tenderly in his ear. "He's not going anywhere right now; besides, I'm not moving from this spot." With him in her arms, she leaned against the wall, his head nestled on her shoulders as she lovingly caressed his bare bottom. "So go do what you need to do, dear. I will do what I need to do here," and wrapped the surrounding blanket around him and her to give him warmth from the cold cavern.
Derrick glanced at all the families in the cavern as he wiped a tear from his eye. This was not how Derrick had planned to say goodbye, as he looked at a small boy in a mother's arms who was half wood-elf, human, mostly missing the basic qualities but close enough. Now, the true journey begins for all of them as they struggle to find their way, as he did so many centuries ago as a simple boy tilling the lands. Those were simpler times than … or were they? We all had our Morgans to fight. Now it is Jayden and his friends at his side as he turns and dissipates into the air.
* * * * *
Bowden met him at the gate as before; Derrick looked back on old memories; Bowden smiled, putting his arm around him. "It's time," he said, closing the door.
Derrick turned as the door closed. He heard laughter. "Bowden, how could you, brother?"
Morgan laughs. "Easy, brother." Laughing as he removed his mask. "You forget the Shadow and Light are one and the same."
Derrick only paused for a moment. "Then I guess you are too late, Morgan, for the cycle has already begun." Morgan watched Derrick blow away into dust before him, into a ball of brilliant light as the world around him turned to darkness. For the Light of Truth cannot live in the land of lies, darkness, and hate toward all living things, such as Morgan's.
As Morgan's screams echoed through the prison cell, the air grew heavy with the scent of anger and frustration. Dust danced in the dimly lit room as the deafening sound of his rage reverberated against the cold stone walls. Shivers ran up his spine as the ground beneath his feet trembled, accompanied by the eerie symphony of clattering chains. Filling the courtyard with a cloud of dust, the rocks cascaded down from the mountain above, obscuring the once clear view.
The sheer force of Morgan's anger seemed to permeate the atmosphere, leaving a palpable sense of fear and uncertainty in its wake. The atmosphere became heavy with tension as if every breath was infused with the weight of his fury. Morgan despised the fact that now two of his prisoners were gone. Bowden and Jeff had escaped, leaving behind empty chains and vacant cells. The sight of the abandoned shackles sent a shiver down his spine. How had they managed to escape the supposedly unbreakable magical chains? His master would be far from pleased to learn of this. The question lingered in Morgan's mind, haunting him. Nevertheless, he still had the boy EJ Stuart. They hadn't taken him, and that alone was a cause for concern. Morgan vowed to uncover the reason behind their decision.
As Morgan gazed upon the boy's slumbering face, a sense of unease washed over him. There was something different about him, something mysterious and unsettling. It fascinated Morgan, while simultaneously filling him with dread. Despite the change, the boy himself remained unchanged, but that wouldn't matter for long. Once the boy succumbed and broke, he would have no choice but to become the Dark Prince, his Dark Prince. His transformation would be complete, and both Morgan and his master, Hess, would mold him to their will. He would possess a power so terrifying that entire worlds and their inhabitants would bow before him. The boy would have no choice but to embrace this power, and it would elevate Morgan to the status of a king and a god. With ultimate control and unimaginable power at his fingertips, he would reshape time and manipulate the very fabric of existence. Using the Five Keys of Destiny, he would recreate worlds, plunging them into the Shadows of Darkness. The true Light and the might of the universe would tremble at his feet, as even the Gods of Light would fade into insignificance.
"No, nothing will stand in my way, and all the realms and worlds will be under my control forever!" Morgan's voice echoed through the heavens, his words filled with determination and arrogance. However, no response came to his declaration, leaving him met with silence.
Unbeknownst to Morgan, the Gods of Light gazed down from their celestial perch, their laughter echoing through the heavens as they observed the unfolding events. The air itself seemed to shimmer with their amusement. With their meticulous plans already in motion, Morgan's attempts to intervene were futile and came too late. The Gods reveled in his desperate rants and ravings, fully aware that a soulless being had no cause worth fighting for. His fate was sealed, destined to join his beloved Master Hess Lotti in the fiery depths of hell. Damnation awaited him, but he would not be alone in his torment. Four more souls were to be claimed - Morgan's son, Jim Stuart, and perhaps his two daughters, Peggy and Donna. The Gods shed tears for their impending doom, a sorrowful testament to the darkness that loomed over them.
* * * * *
Morgan is so unaware of the truth that he clings to the belief that the motionless figure before him is the same boy he had taken. Oblivious to the intervention of the Gods of Light, someone whisked away the boy EJ, leaving a vacant vessel that now housed the Dark Prince, a unique entity from Morgan's Dark Prince, yet no one was inclined to enlighten him.
The sight of Jeff's beaming smile was so contagious that it was impossible to stifle a laugh as if the Gods themselves were sharing in the merriment. Jeff skillfully concealed his true identity as the Dark Prince, leaving Morgan and his allies completely unaware of what had transpired. It was undeniably laughable, with even the most serious person unable to hold back their amusement.
As Morgan climbs the staircase, he smiles at the thought of the plan he and his master Hess have made about the boy sleeping in his cell. Morgan couldn't help but feel intrigued by the unmistakable air of mystery surrounding the boy, despite brushing off the odd sensation he had earlier, which would later become his downfall. He notices one guard has fallen asleep at his post. Swiftly killing the guard by snapping his neck, he smiles and sends a warning to the other guards as the fallen guard rolls down the stairs. He shouted, "Get that boy cleaned up and dressed within an hour and bring him to my quarters, whether or not he's awake!"