Epilogue
Umbra, Iblis' Coliseum, the Lava Fields
Seeing their master, the Demon Lord Iblis slain, ally & slave alike fled the coliseum, emptying it within minutes, some trampled to death. The fear of punishment from Iblis was no longer keeping them loyal.
Umbra still held his searing hands into the rent belly of the fiery beast, choking out the fallen Demon Lord's last breath. The monster who had dangled Marin's lifeless body like bait on a hook was finally slain.
Marin, skewered by a stray bone fragment lay motionless just out of reach.
Umbra withdrew his now blackened hands from Iblis', grimacing in pain.
A dry wind stirred the sandy arena, bones of slain victims still poked out of the grounds. The exhausted Maleficus shuffled to his slain lover.
His legs buckled under his own weight, his nerves seared and thrumming in pain as he reached out for Marin's cold hands.
This was a different pain from what he had endured for three years.
The sun of his last mortal minutes was rising, stretching the shadows that reached to him like claws.
He knew what had to be done.
The ritual that had failed him three years ago was now his last hope.
He dragged his limp arm through the sands like a quill, encircling Marin, oozing blood as he painstakingly carved the intricate symbols from memory.
Pouring his last specks of power into the circle, he struggled to ignite the ritual symbols and power the array.
No No No not now!
Straining, he drew on everything he had to cast the ritual to revive Marin. Her long blonde hair obscured her face as her dusty blue clothes stirred in the wind.
"Please please please..." Umbra begged.
But his efforts were wasted, his well of power was completely empty.
Umbra collapsed to his knees, crying out in frustration and despair as Marin's body lay motionless within the inert circle.
And his time was up. The animated shadows encircled him now like a hungry predator, smoking with a sulfurous stench.
Belphagor, the harbinger of his damnation stood over him, his scaly body tense with anticipation and evil intent.
He reached out with his hooked claws. "Your soul..."
Umbra coughed. "And my powers!" he added, intriguing the power-hungry demon.
Belphagor mused for a moment on the prospect of stealing Umbra's immense sorcerous powers to empower his own. "The possibilities..." Belphagor schemed, considering the prospect of overthrowing his master Azazel.
"On one condition..." Umbra wheezed.
Belphagor rolled his serpentine eyes and sighed. "What?" he groaned.
Umbra gestured with a burned hand, pointing to Marin. "Revive Marin..." he insisted, "And I'll give you everything."
Belphagor relented and clicked his fingers.
Marin gasped to life as the life returned to her body.
"What is...?" Marin groaned hazily, disorientated.
She clambered to her feet.
The wounds on her body were miraculously healed, even the fatally deep slashes. Her own magic was completely spent, but she was alive again.
But she could smell the telltale stench of demons nearby, Demon Lord Iblis, chest tore open lay lifeless nearby.
Then she noticed a demon standing over Umbra's war-ravaged body.
Umbra moaned weakly with a subtle smile as his eyes met Marin's.
The ground beneath him, opening up like a fiery wound as he and his demonic broker entered into the inferno below.
Marin bolted towards the fiery wound but wasn't fast enough to reach Umbra's outstretched hand.
Only the lingering stench of sulfur remained as Marin was left alone in her confusion and despair.
Marin kneeled in agonizing silence, sobbing as the sandy wind swept by the empty coliseum.
A message she hadn't noticed before was drawn into a patch of reddened sand.
'Carry on, live life and love again' was written as Umbra's last will and testament.
Marin broke down in a heartbroken cry of anguish that echoed throughout the empty arena.
How do I go on?
To Be Continued in-
Sacrosanct
Legends of Turbulus
Part II