With the seal on the gates to the Citadel finally broken, the heroes of Travance battled their way through Malyc’s realm, with Valos lighting the way to reveal the dark god’s throne room. Malyc’s own followers lead the way as the heroes pressed past the threshold to where he sat comfortably in his seat; the tevvyxis core resting on the table before him. An eerie calmness crept through the room as Malyc stared down those who came to free him of his corruption. In a flash, his demeanor changed when the eidolich Necrophitus took control, lashing out with his fearsome power.
“Do you think you can stop me? Malyc belongs to me! And now you’ve brought me the last of what I desire! Syrith’s Blood will be mine!”
His necromantic might paralyzed the heroes, crumbling them to the ground.
Valos stepped through the crowd as the other gods surrounded the possessed Malyc. The God-king raised his sword with holy light and cried out, “Necrophitus, your plans end here. These heroes have beaten you at every turn, and this time will be no different!”
With Valos confronting Necrophitus, Galmachis turned to the heroes, thrust his scythe out, power pouring forth.
“Rise,” he echoed, “Rise! Our power is yours! This is your moment to bring an end to this creature’s tirade!”
They swarmed Malyc like locusts in a frenzied rush, not knowing if they would die that instant. Their bravery won just enough time for others to rush towards the core. Avaiiden reached out for it, channeling her own will into the core to disrupt the power contained within. Brogan and Aiden, the champions of Valos, joined her as its energy ebbed and tore through everyone within the throne room. The three sacrificed themselves by taking the brunt of the eruption, saving the others as the core was destroyed.
With the core destroyed, Malyc wrestled control of his own body away from Necrophitus, purging the villain from his being. Without hesitation, Malyc and Valos struck out at the eidolich with all their might, ripping his ethereal form apart, banishing him from the Pits and back to the Material Plane.
* * * * * * * *
Not long after, the heroes returned to Travance, still resting in the Chaos Wastes. The battle had been won. Malyc was freed and the Tevvyxis Core was destroyed. A dark shadow enveloped the Dragon’s Claw Inn, the same paralytic energy washing over the heroes as a defeated voice spoke to them:
“I dreamed of stars… of the plane beyond what we were born into. I saw we were all so little compared to these impossible creatures that shaped the universe. I had the power to be like them. I had it within my grasp… and I was going to kill them with it. I was going to reshape the laws of this universe. It was all going to be MINE. But you… You meddled, and you fought. I underestimated the will of such young mortal beings.
You took it all away. My dreams are gone, but my wrath remains unbound. You who have taken everything from me… You who believe yourselves the heroes of this world… I do not yearn for the death cries of the Anastazi, not anymore. I want to see the light drift from each of your eyes one by one…
I will have my revenge… “
The shadow faded away, and the heroes regained their strength. The battle was won, but the war carried on.
* * * * * * * *
Deep within the heart of a crystalline mountain, in the ruins of a once great academy, a portal opened, and the ethereal figure of Necrophitus emerged. He drifted about the room that once served as his study. Was this fear he felt? His rage was absolute, but for the first time in millenia, the eidolich worried at what was left. His carefully laid out plans were thwarted, and while he could one day collect another Tevvyxis Core, he could never again achieve the power he once had. His life’s work was in ruin, and all that remained was his drive to destroy Travance. He feared his newfound inevitability, but he would not let it stop him.
* * * * * * * *
The next day, the heroes fought their way to the top of the citadel. Behind the magically sealed door was a ritual that suppressed the heroic powers of the champions. One by one the cards were flipped. One by one, the ritual’s effects were dispelled. With the overturning of the Sun Card within the ritual, the undead that were plaguing the cities and kingdoms across the world crumbled to dust, finally giving salvation to the heroes who bravely stayed behind to face the overwhelming threats. Once the ritual was ended, the deck -- the Master Tarot Deck, from which all the Arcanum Tarot Decks were crafted -- was handed to Cennius, a former agent of Necrophitus who had since been a powerful ally of Travance, who would study the cards to produce ways for the heroes to fight back against the other Arcanum.
Along with the deck, another great victory was had. Ritual notes from how Necrophitus became what he was were discovered in the chamber. Travance had dealt several decisive blows during their time in the Chaos Wastes, each of which would help ensure the impending and utter destruction of Necrophitus Arcane.
* * * * * * * *
Corsair once again readied the Arcane Prism, the crystal which allowed him to transport the landmass in the first place. Pleased with their efforts, he began his task of bringing the heroes home.
