Only One Way (snippet)

There was no one left. The few humans that had remained had all been transformed into the throng of minions that came at him now. Wisdom wouldn't have recognized them, even if they could speak. For the last hour he had expensed enough energy to flatten out an entire realm. Yet the waves of lizard looking men never ceased, and as the prince cast his last spell he felt the tension of energy run dangerously low.

He was beyond help at this point. The unicorn Osha, whom had given her horn to both protect and be protected, was of no help. Attempting to use her own power would mean merging her soul with his, something neither one wanted. Then, it would be Merlock all over again. And yet, as the prince paused to count up the thousand more green Dracons approaching from the east, and silver taking flight from the west, he knew that, alone, there would be no victory.

The surrounding Dracons waited. They knew it was only a matter of time before he gave in. Then he would be taken, as his champions, to meet whatever fate lay in Sapphire.

The land of the dead! Wisdom thought in despair. As was everywhere else. Merlock's power had cut off the life flow of Nature's energy, buried beneath the poisonous blackness of his wrath. There was nothing to sustain the prince's magic. The light that once shone in his eyes was slowly dimming, and soon winked out. There was nothing left to fight with but his own physical strength, and by the looks of sheer muscle on just one of the Dracons, physical strength alone was not enough to win this battle. Now, it was no longer his fight.

The sign of defeat was given. Sinking to his knees, Wisdom bowed his head, and waited.

There is always hope, young one. Osha soothed his thoughts. There is always a way.

You can't keep avoiding your true potential if you don't use it, the prince thought back as he watched the Dracons close around him. You're stronger than I will ever be. I know why you never used your magic. I understand the risk of merging souls. But sometimes you have to choose between what you've promised to protect, and the path you know you must take. I've taken my path as far as it will allow. Now, you must choose yours. You cannot save me.

If there was ever a moment he would have guessed a unicorn felt love, this was it; love for a species considerably lower than her own. But it was there, a kind of motherly love for a youngling not wanting to let go. She had become attached to his being, had been with him from the moment they'd met. The very idea that she would have to destroy what she cared about was about to become reality.

So which is it, Osha? Wisdom continued. Me? Or the world?

In the end, he knew what her answer would be. It was just a matter of time before he stood before the Dark Unicorn known as Merlock. Once pure himself, Merlock had been created from the greed of the human mage Jenario. Now Jenario was dead, sucked away into the devouring power of the very creature he had tried to control.

Even if Osha did choose Wisdom over the world, there would be no mercy. Merlock would rake his dark power through the prince's body in search of his sister's power. Not merging would mean she'd be taken, allowing Merlock to pour his own soul into his body. But then Wisdom would still live. He just wouldn't have control and eventually would lose his soul to the Dark Unicorn. If Osha merged, Wisdom died, for when she returned to the world to purge the land of evil, it would rip his own soul in half. But then, it was a sacrifice worth making. For him. For his people. For No'va....