The Blue, as it was called was nothing more than a placebo, a fake alchemical mask. It was no drug at all, but the blood of Xualla intent on granting wishes and great powers to those who imbibe it, at the cost of their eternal souls. This truth they discovered not but earlier in the day, and so what would come next, after the battle with Victor, was not a total surprise…

As the town turned the bend and headed up the hill towards the armory, a great billowing ball of fire erupted from the ground. It burned as high and as wide as the largest tree, which it smoldered from its touch. Out of the burning leaves a large image appeared, the prince of hell stared down upon the field; a look of dark judgment upon its face, wielding Far Seeker.

“Congratulations” The demon chided… “You have discovered a small part of my plan, how cleaver you fleshlings must be… Do you think I used only these people? How self-indulgent… This is happening all over the world. I grant wishes to the weak willed and they create a sweet anarchy, the strum of discord, the perfect chaos. Now face the wrath of those you have wronged!”

            From the wood line poured screaming angered people, touched by demonic energies and yet another battle ensued. It was during this fight that Julie became empowered, through the courage of the people of Travance and their inspiring words she found the courage to stand forward and face the demon prince, resolved to destroy him for what he had done, and end his reign of terror once and for all. Encircled by the people, she took out her book and inked the tip of her quill. Opening to a blank page she took a final deep breath, and wrote…

“There once was a Demon, Controlling our lives, Commanding our souls, Deciding who dies.

Then we became one, To the abyss we did send, The demon Xualla, Its over. The end!”

A wash of rushing air poured over the field as the winds billowed with an unnatural magic. All the enemies on the field vanished. There was a pause that seemed as long as a lifetime, and as the people watched, they expected the Demon to scream in pain, to fade away or perhaps simply vanish… but none of these things came to pass, and Xualla broke the long silence, a solemn and slow voice, “You… fool… Did you really think that you could harm me with my own blood magic?” The demon looked genuinely disappointed for a moment and glanced downward as he spoke “Sadly, you have outlived your usefulness Julie… I release you from this world!” He reached out to her with his extended claw, a simple flick of his wrist was all it would take to sever her golden life cord, it would kill her and he would steal her soul away to the abyss where he would torment her for eternity. It was a simple gesture for him, a common act, but before his clawed hand could do the deed, her cord faded from the demons sight… as did her soul.

*          *          *          *          *

In the Baronial Library many days later, while researching a most common thing for one of the baronial officials, A simple scholar by the name of Arsarion, came across an odd and misplaced entry and alerted all who he could tell.  It was scrawled on the blank last page of a seemingly random book. The ink, while dried, was fresh to the trained eye of a scholar and it read:

“Despite my efforts, I was afraid. I knew the torment that was coming for me, and across all the known planes my soul agonized, for I knew at that moment that I would never be free, that I would never rest with Xander, Nicholas, Eve or Johnny.  As I waited for the demons touch, I saw something in the air, thousands of glimmering lights, like fireflies in the night. They felt peaceful and strong; and like a legacy of light, they shone as bright as the stars.

They told me they were taking me away… they said that I had suffered enough…”