Maggus continued fighting against the Tropogax. Blow-by-blow, strike by strike, he faced these beasts that seemed to have no weak points. Every time he knocked one down, another took its place, rising as if death itself couldn't touch them.
"Damn it, Golden was right… These horrendous things are dangerous," Maggus muttered between gasps, wiping the blood trickling from a wound on his forehead. "But I'll find a way to end them."
The beasts began attacking him with even greater ferocity, tearing into his flesh and leaving deep wounds that gleamed under the dim light of the battlefield. Still, Maggus remained standing, his body swaying slightly but his spirit unbreakable. Instead of feeling defeated, a strange sense of happiness washed over him. He knew he had finally found the way to die as he had always wished: fighting until his last breath.
"If I'm going to die, I'll die on my own terms, you damned beasts," he growled with determination, his words heavy with pride and resignation.
A renewing energy coursed through his body, fueled by his indomitable fighting spirit. It was as if every blow he received had reignited a forgotten purpose. He unleashed a powerful aura that enveloped him like a golden whirlwind, illuminating the battlefield with an almost supernatural glow.
"If I can't kill them outright, then I'll turn them to dust so they can never rise again," he declared firmly.
With superhuman strength, he lunged at one of the Tropogax, striking it with blinding speed. His fists became a blur impossible to follow with the naked eye, and the creature began to disintegrate under the avalanche of attacks. When it was finally reduced to dust, Maggus smiled faintly, though his breathing was ragged and his body was at its limit.
"Nineteen more," he murmured, his voice filled with resolve.
One after another, Maggus repeated the same process. He moved as swiftly as Golden, becoming an unstoppable force. His mind was focused solely on victory; he couldn't afford to give them any reprieve. "I must hurry… No rest for them," he repeated to himself like a mantra.
Finally, only one Tropogax remained standing before him. Maggus fell to his knees, exhausted, as he felt his strength completely draining away.
"I barely have any energy left," he whispered, watching as the creature rose once more with an earsplitting roar.
The monster screeched, a sound that echoed like thunder across the battlefield. But Maggus wasn't willing to perish without finishing it off. With the last ounce of energy he had, he lunged at the beast, smashing his head against it in a powerful headbutt. Then, with an immense effort, he raised his arms and used his legs with indescribable speed, beating the Tropogax until it finally collapsed, reduced to dust.
"Well… Finally done," Maggus whispered, collapsing to the ground with a dull thud. Blood poured from his wounds, staining the surrounding earth.
The sky slowly darkened, signaling that night had fallen. Maggus closed his eyes for a moment, but his body responded to one final impulse.
"I still have some energy left… I need to go to my lord Avocios. He must be in trouble," he told himself, forcing himself to his feet with great effort.
Dragging his feet, he began walking toward the castle. When he arrived, his heart stopped for a moment. What had once been a majestic palace was now a desolate wasteland, reduced to dust and ashes. There was no one in sight.
"It can't be… Lord Avocios lost. I thought he was powerful, but he was defeated by those of the shadows," Maggus murmured, his voice trembling with disbelief.
With one last spark of determination, he tried to move forward, but his body no longer responded. He fell to his knees, knowing his time had come.
"I must go and save him…" he whispered, though his words barely escaped as a thread of sound. Finally, he accepted his fate. "So this is how I died… It was a great life. Pity I couldn't reach you, Avocios."
His body slowly collapsed, his eyes gazing toward the dark horizon as the cold wind caressed his face.
"Do not feel bad, my friend. You did everything I ever asked of you… and more," echoed Avocios's voice in Maggus's mind, warm yet tinged with melancholy. "Perhaps you cannot face what is to come, but one day, one of your successors will succeed. Rest as you always wished, my friend."
Maggus, upon hearing those words, let out a final breath, his chest rising once more before falling still. A faint smile graced his lips, filled with peace and resignation, as the first snowflakes began to fall gently upon him. However, the pure white of the snow soon turned black, mingling with the soot from the burned remnants of the battlefield, creating a dark shroud that seemed to enfold him like a final embrace. His body lay motionless under that somber veil, as if the world itself mourned his passing.
"And so it was," said Avocios as he finished showing his guardians the story of what had transpired back then.
The guardians slowly returned to reality, releasing each other's hands after the mental link they had shared. They looked at one another, their expressions a mix of awe, guilt, and sadness. The old grudges that had kept them apart for years began to dissolve in the face of the magnitude of what they had just witnessed.
Golden, in particular, felt a weight in his heart. He looked at Silver and, with a low but sincere voice, broke the silence.
"I'm sorry, Silver. I shouldn't have held a grudge against you all these years. You were only following orders, just like me."
Silver nodded, visibly moved. "Thank you, Golden. I also regret being so stubborn."
The atmosphere between them softened, and soon apologies flowed among them all. They had spent too much time blaming each other for decisions that, now they understood, were beyond their control.
"So Paltio was right…" murmured Golden, breaking the moment with a mix of astonishment and nostalgia. "There was a sixth guardian among us, and his name was Maggus."
However, Golden could not contain his frustration. He struck the ground with a paw, his golden eyes blazing with anger.
"How could you do that, my lord? How could you erase a friend of ours—and yours too—from our minds? How could you lock us away in places where we could never return to support you? That was cruel, very cruel of you."
Krasper quickly interjected, trying to calm Golden.
"Didn't you hear, cat? Lord Avocios did it to protect us."
Kilibur nodded, though his voice still trembled slightly.
"I know it wasn't the best way, my lord, but at least he tried to save us. We wanted to be there, to support you in battle, but you sent us away so we wouldn't die."
Meliradal lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper.
"Imprisoned by my lord… to keep me from dying. It was something I didn't want, my lord. Like the others, I wanted to stand by your side."
Avocios observed his guardians with an expression of deep sadness. His shoulders seemed heavier, as if burdened by the weight of all his decisions.
"I know you would all have done anything for me, and I couldn't have borne seeing you die before my eyes. I wouldn't have allowed it." His voice cracked slightly before he continued. "And you have every right to be upset with me. I didn't want my friend Maggus to be forgotten by everyone… or to die. But that was his wish."
The melancholy in his voice was palpable, resonating in every word like an echo of the loss he still carried in his heart.
"Well, on one hand, there's the fact that he wanted to save us, but on the other, he lied to us all this time," said Krasper, crossing his arms with a thoughtful yet conflicted expression.
"Yes, exactly. You should have consulted us," added Meliradal, her voice firm but tinged with frustration. "I'm sure we would have said yes, but at least we could have done something… Instead of witnessing all this chaos that has unfolded since."
Golden, still upset, took a step toward Avocios, his golden eyes gleaming with intensity.
"Well, I don't know if I can forgive you, my lord. Not after learning all this truth. And you still haven't explained how I ended up in the seed of the boy named Paltio," said Golden, his tone a mix of reproach and curiosity.
Avocios lowered his gaze, his face filled with melancholy.
"That is something I cannot tell you," he replied softly, though his voice betrayed a profound emotional weight.
Heated arguments began to break out among them. Some were willing to continue supporting Avocios despite his past decision, while others still felt their trust had been betrayed. Voices echoed in the space, blending arguments and emotions.
"Enough with all these secrets, my lord! You must tell us the whole truth!" interrupted Kilibur, his voice trembling at first but quickly gaining strength. Tears filled his eyes as he shouted to quiet everyone. "You said you would tell the pure truth, and you haven't!"
The echo of his words abruptly silenced the arguments. All turned to him, surprised by his outburst. Kilibur breathed heavily, tears streaming freely, but his posture radiated determination.
Avocios watched him silently for a few seconds before speaking.
"You're right, Kilibur. But are you sure you can handle the pure truth?" he asked, his voice laden with warning.
The five guardians exchanged uncertain glances. Finally, one by one, they slowly nodded, looking toward the pit where the previous images had emerged.
"Yes," they said in unison, their voices resolute, though tinged with nervousness.
"Very well, then you shall see that too," responded Avocios, his tone serious but resigned.
The five positioned themselves in front of the pit once more, taking each other's hands as before. The air vibrated faintly as new images began to emerge from the pit, revealing what had happened after the lost battle.