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[Cal Hurst]

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"This is where I belong now... this is where my story began, and it is where my story will end..."

Vaen walked slowly up and down the roads of Minoc. His encounter with Brianha yesterday gave him hope that he could still live on. But outside of Minoc, there was no more life for him. He wanted so much to bring Legion back, but there wasn't any use. Who would really believe Vaen to be a man of justice? Not after what happened... Even though it wasn't his fault.

"Damn..." Vaen shook his head, "Marcus has won, I guess." He shook his head. He thought about the things he had done while Marcus had subtely controlled him.

He thought back to a few weeks ago, where he and Marcus had their final battle...

***

Vaen growled low as he looked up from his sitting spot in Umbra, only to see the familiar face of Marcus. Marcus simply smiled and then opened his arms to embrace Vaen, but did not move. "Hello, my friend Vaen."

"Marcus..." Vaen said in reply

"Nothing to say?"

"I ... am filled with nothing but anger for you Marcus..." Vaen grabbed for his weapon and stood immediately, and flung a fireball spell towards Marcus. Taken by surprise, Marcus fell back at the explosion but quickly got back up. Reaching for his kryss, he pointed at Vaen.

"Don't be a fool! You and I could rule the world, my old friend. We can have what we wish, when we want it. In whatever quantity we want to ha---" Another fireball met Marcus right to the face. His head caught on fire as Marcus began to scream in pain. Vaen simply smiled at the sight. However, Vaen's smile slowly disappeared as the screams of pain from Marcus turned into a dark laughter, the fire still burning his face.

"What the..."

"You see, Vaen! You can't defeat me!" Marcus raised his arms to the air. "But we will do this the hard way, if you so wish it..."

Vaen tossed his blade to the side and walked right up to Marcus, clenched fists. "We'll do this without weapons or spells"

Marcus slowly nodded with a deep chuckle.

The two of them squared off with their fists raised. Throwing weak jabs at one another, trying to taunt the other into throwing the first move; to catch them off guard. Finally, Marcus was running out of patience and he swung hard at Vaen. Vaen deflected the punch with his arm and then blasted Marcus square in the face. Marcus fell back from the impact, but Vaen held his hand, feeling a bit of pain from the impact ontop of the heat of the flame. He shook his head and then charged at Marcus.

Marcus shook his head and then looked up from the ground at the charging Vaen. He stuck his foot up in the air and propelled him over his head, flying behind him. Vaen flew through the air and crashed into a nearby merchant's table, breaking it in half. People from around began to gather at the sounds and simply watch the fight.

Vaen stood slowly, holding his head and groaning. Looking up at Marcus, he grabbed for a nearby glass of water. Marcus began running towards Vaen. "PREPARE TO DIE, SWIFTAR!!"

Vaen quickly threw the contents of the water towards Marcus. "AAGGGHHH!!!" yelled Marcus, as the water promtply put the fire out on Marcus' head. As Marcus held his face, Vaen grabbed his shirt with his left hand and then laid punch after punch to Marcus' face. Blood began pouring out of his nose in a running stream that resembled a small trickle of water falling from a fountain. With each punch, the blood spread more over Marcus' face. Vaen then let go and pushed Marcus forward to the ground, looking down at him.

"Aghghhhh...." Marcus groaned loud as he held his bloodied face. Vaen looked to his fist and noticed Marcus' blood on it. He only smiled as he then began to kick Marcus while he was on the ground. "AGH!! AHHH!!" Marcus cried out.

"You've haunted me for too long, Marcus. But you gave me the key to your defeat!" He kicked Marcus once more and then picked him up. "This way..."

Vaen walked Marcus over towards the edge of Umbra over the void. "Rest in peace, friend..." Vaen said, as he then tossed Marcus into the void. "AND DON'T COME BACK!"

"AAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" Marcus cried as he fell deeper and deeper into the void.

Vaen then blinked a few times, as he felt a heavy weight lifted from within him. He looked at his hands, and then up. He sighed heavily, and then promptly left Umbra.

***

"It was his fault... but also mine... for being so weak willed that I could be controlled... but no more... no more..."

"Hey Sir Swiffy!" a kid yelled from across the way. Vaen looked up and smiled. "Swiffy, show me that thing you do where you poof and poof!"

Vaen nodded to the child and then teleported behind the child, and then back. The child jumped up and down in excitement. "Thank you thank you thank you," and then ran off.

"So this is the end to my story, I suppose. I will retire here in this town of Minoc, donating all of my gold and worth to its betterment. I will reside here, and I will not be involved in the problems outside of it. Those who are truely my friends, will know where to find me. And those who pretended to be my friends... well... good luck to them."

Vaen smiled softly to himself and then spoke again. "Funny. I was someone who could have anything I wanted at one point. But never once... did I ever get what I really wanted. A family... a son... a daughter. A wife." He shook his head sadly. "I will never have that. But I will be a father to Minoc. I will guard this town. I will make sure nothing bad happens to this town while I am here... while I am alive."

Vaen nodded again to himself, and then walked over towards the mining caves. He climbed up onto the smaller cave and looked out over the waters as he watched the sun slowly set. The night would soon come, and then the birth of a new day; a new life, would take place.
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