We finally decided to leave,

People keep dying every day,

Why should we continue to grieve?

We can be hope, like a sun’s ray.

Fleeting that idea is,

The journey would be long and deadly,

We have survived so long, everyone is a whiz,

Trapped for so long, now everyone is ready.

The monster in my muscles has listened to me a bit,

Each day it’s hold gets weaker,

Now for travel I am fit,

I have not told them the last lines, I must be meeker.

I fear what I am,

I fear where we go,

Force ricochets up my body with a slam,

Soon we will see our great foe.

We sneak around the corner,

We hop over walls,

Melza gives us a smile and walks to the door,

A monster is lurking – I move to warn her.

A loud whistle tears through the air,

The rapid taps and crunches of monsters approach,

The murderers watch the other monsters regard us as a delicious fare,

Melza looks at us and pulls out a knife that on us had encroached.

Blood flies and guts are crushed,

“GO!” she screams while holding a knife of Dreg,

Monsters are slaughtered while the murderers rushed,

We run like cowards. Melza can only look up and beg.

We burst through the door to Langnet’s road,

Several fires burn in the sky, bright and old.

“Welcome. Has humanity come for salvation or to goad?”

The voice is warm yet cold; oxymoronic yet a truth is told.

“We come to prove that when humanity is at deaths door,

We will rise up no matter if rich or poor,

No matter battered or worn,

We can bind together with no hatred born.”

I shout the words out in a feeble attempt of strength,

The flames laugh; a brilliant flare of a multicolored glow.

A maliciousness fills the air at length,

Thunk C hits the floor – time feels slow.

The blackened road is dreg and cold,

C’s body sprawls out in a cascade of blood,

There was no strike – C's life was merely controlled,

Thud.

El falls back, life leaving the eyes,

Fae leaps to El in an attempt to shield,

Blood pools on the road. El dies.

Fae screams and pulls out a steel blade once concealed.

Fae leaps at the fire with his knife,

Two hands larger than planes clap together,

Fae is no longer grasping to life,

Life ends so quickly, yet the time goes on forever.

“4, 3, 2, 1.

Soon the vengeance will be complete,

Soon all human life will be done,

Victory is oh so sweet.”

I shake my head in disbelief,

Three days is what you have to prove them wrong.

The message was simple – what a relief.

“So, were we just strung along?”

“Salvation was possible,

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

But even with all the opportunity in the world,

What was improbable became impossible.

Humanity killed humanity; now a new future can be unfurled.”

“So, is that it? Can I do nothing now?”

I am still alive “Can I ask a question?”

“You are the last one Gan why would I disallow?”

“What type of monster is controlling my body? Was it put here as your suggestion?”

“Your body is yours both before and now.”

“I… struggle to believe that. Ah well, it’s a shame I won’t ever see my pension.”

The hands disappear and the flames grow close,

I sit down defeated,

The heat is so intense that my body begins to roast,

“I endured so much, yet now this is how I am treated.”

“Humanity is the same – you should cheer and toast.

Wol’zarath is suffering from each breath you have cheated.”

My body burns yet I feel nothing,

“I never had bad intentions,

I wanted my words to bring joy and loving,

But Dreg created endless tensions,

My life was paid for by crawling and shoving,

It hurt to write for it was part of my soul – an extension.

I wanted everyone and everything to be happy and hugging,

Work is about retention, but I wanted no attention,

I lost friends and family – I wanted the world to be budding.

No matter how hard I tried, I know there will be no extension,

While I have life, could you tell me what's to come after my gutting?”

“You will die and thus humanity will fall with you. Your body will become ash and your body will be used to fill the endless torturous hole that Langet’s road created. Wol’zarath is not circular, it ebbs and flows in shape. This road forces it to be an unnatural form. Once this is filled, the dreg will eventually bend and snap away. My work will be done and then it is up to Wol’zarath to – wait.”

A bright blue flame erupts from my body.

“Savra. Pure good Savra. I know not how this happened. Your life is filled with evil acts – you led people here through a lie that ended with everyone dying. Yet that is unmistakably Savra that fills your veins. Ah, the good you did through your stories and life must have impacted enough lives to counteract your evil actions. How stupid. How inconceivable, and yet it is right here before us. What power, you could reshape the world. What would you like to do?”

I wobble to my feet, my body completely alight.

“If I am special, use me as a key for humanity to embody.

Use my soul and deeds to settle this right.”

“Humanity has failed you at every corner,

If you bring lives back, all this will be torture.”

“But that is my order.

I have never been in control of my destiny before,

Let me end this world's torture,

Please, give us one more chance. I don’t want this war.”

I can feel my body burning away. My words mean nothing but a feeble last attempt at mercy. Wait, I can hear it. Power. The power to help the world or let it fall to ruin. I can see Wol’zarath life flash before my eyes. It’s beautiful. Humanity has caused such pain, yet we also create such beauty. Humanity is oxymoronic at its core. To create happiness, we cause sorrow. To create a tower, we destroy a forest. Undoubtedly we are hideous creatures, the monsters of monsters, and yet we are beautiful. We are incredible. Wol’zarath shows me the truth; humanity is its savior and reaper. With one hand we reap, and the other we sow. With one hand we raise everything up, and with the other, we raze it to the ground. But… maybe we can redeem ourselves. Maybe one more chance is all we need.

Let my life burn to nothingness. Let my consciousness end. Let any lingering power I might have be used. Destroy Langnet’s road. Let Wol’zarath heal, then let humanity return. If my life, soul, and being can allow even one other life to be spared – if I can be the reason one more person can smile, then my job is done.

My body burns. My soul ignites. Dreg weakens, shatters and melts.

My life flashes and burns before my eyes.

As the reel of my life ends – as my last lingering moment of consciousness burns out, all I can hear is two words.

“Thank you.”

Hehehe… Fa Fumerunner… you are… the last thing so many people heard. I never thought… you would be so…

Human.

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