Lockwood Part III: The Final Conflict

Sometimes we must do what is necessary to defeat evil.



Ian came out of the Hall of Turning Tables and came towards Hundel Thickspit.
“You’ve done it! You were able to take three of them at once. You are lucky to be alive.”
“Hundel, I killed them. I slaughtered them. I took vengeance. It seems like I’m a murderer. I killed out of rage. Anything that attacks me now doesn’t stand a chance. I feel like a ruthless killer. Like I am evil. ”
“You are not evil, but do not kill in rage.”
“They killed Eldin, its nearly impossible not to think of him.”
“Think of it as your duty. If you can’t do it, all is lost. Sometimes you must do what is necessary to defeat evil and save lives, no matter what the cost. Sometimes, we must sacrifice, even our own lives.”
Ian smiled and said, “You know, usually ogres aren’t very full of advice.”
“I’m just comforting a friend in need.”

Suddenly, Ian realized his destiny to fulfill the prophecy. All this time he was wandering, trying to survive, doing what he was told, but now he realized he had to concentrate on one thing only. He had to do everything described in the prophecy. He was going to Sandor.

Sandor was the most terrible and horrifying region of Murdoy. Filth, rot, and slavery were abundant. Dark fortresses, scraped against the sky. The groans of the slaves of Sandor were like winds calling out, warning any innocent traveler to turn back, or suffer certain doom. Ian recognized some of the faces of the slaves from the village of Galub. The slaves’ skinny arms hauled the black stones of the earth to build more dark and terrible fortresses. Ian snooped around the terrible, dome shaped huts where the Dark Servants lived. Dead bodies of slaves were scattered around the area. The small, but strong slaves were beaten to death because of the impatience of their masked taskmasters.
Ian shot lightning out of his sword and broke the slave chains. All the taskmasters that rushed toward him were electrocuted. The slaves of Sandor were free, and shouts of joy escaped from their mouths. Ian realized that that was a bad thing. Noise would draw attention. He had to get out of there.
Ian snuck by a Dark Servant stabbing a live pig, biting, ripping, and chewing chunks of bloody flesh. Ian drew his sword and knocked the butt of the sword against the Dark Servant’s head and dragged him into the shadows. A black figure emerged from the shadows, but his eyes didn’t glow red. It was Ian. He came towards the dark, gloomy, entrance to a fortress. He had to find the last Lord of Darkness.


Ian was in stealth mode. He was walking past evil dark servants, hoping that they wouldn’t notice the wrong type of sword and the shady eyes. Ian ascended in the spiral stairs to meet his nemesis.
He went through the gothic arches and lightless hallways, and came to the torture chambers. His key mark on his wrist started to glow. He took the awful, sweaty mask and the scratchy robe off. He was horrified. Out of the darkness came the one he had been searching for. The last knight looked like all the others.
“You felt guilty after killing three Lords, how do you expect to fulfill the prophecy if you think that way?”
“It is my duty. I shall do whatever it takes to keep Murdoy safe!”
“Then will you be willing to kill yourself?”
“What do you mean?”
“I am Nai Duwkol.”
The Final Lord carefully pried and peeled his hideous mask off and underneath was someone that Ian recognized. It wasn’t Eldin, Hundel, or Geluli. It was the face of Ian Lockwood. He was an evil version of Ian.
“As you can see, I am you. You simply cannot kill yourself, because you simply cannot bear the sight of seeing yourself die. Or you can join me, and the portal shall be opened, and we can all go back to your world.” He reached his left hand. On his hand, there was a glowing mark. It was in the shape of a keyhole. “Take my hand, Ian. Take my hand and return to the world you knew.”
Ian felt his hand starting to reach. He could leave this place. It would just be like waking up from a bad dream. Ian suddenly remembered that Nai was the enemy, and he had a job to do.
“NO!” Ian replied, “I will not betray both this world and mine!”
Duwkol face straitened, “I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this Ian.”
Swords clashed! Ian shot a blinding attack of lightning, but Nai deflected with a fire shield. Fire and lightning bounced back at Ian and threw him through the stained glass window. Nai jumped through the shattered window and came to where Ian landed, on another tower. Ian came out of somewhere and swung his sword at the Dark Lord. Ian tried and tried to kill with all his might, but it seemed as though Nai blocked every time Ian even thought of striking.
“How are you blocking before I strike?!”
“You had your undefeatable fantastic power, so I thought I would even the scales. My mind ring allows me to see what you see, feel what you feel, and see into your mind.” Ian ran and hid in a room under the tower.
“Its no use hiding from me, Ian. I see what you see, feel what you feel…”
Ian realized the one and only way to defeat Nai Duwkol.
Sometimes you must do what is necessary to defeat evil
Ian drew his sword.
No matter what the cost
He pointed the sword at himself.
Sometimes, we must sacrifice, even our own lives.
He stabbed himself in the stomach.
Ian saw a bright light…




If you are anxious to know, Ian did not die.
Ian awoke in the same room with a bandage over his chest. Where Nai Duwkol once was, there was a pile of ash, a sword a crystal, and a coin.
“He’s awake!”
Ian saw Hundel and a girl from Galub village.
Ian spoke up, “What happened to Nai? And why am I not dead?”
Hundel Replied, “His blood ignited. Don’t worry. Nara cared for you; if it weren’t for her you would have bled to death. There is great rejoicing because of you. Now that the Prince of Darkness is dead, his followers have fled to the far corners of Murdoy in fear. Now you need to open the portal and send the human population of this land home.” Hundel reached into the pile of ashes and pulled out the coin. It had a hole shaped like a keyhole. “Do you want to go with them?”
Ian looked down at his glowing mark. “This land needs a protector. There are still Members of the Legion around, and they can’t go back to the world from which they came, it would be too dangerous. Someone needs to keep them in line, to make sure they don’t cause trouble here. I have decided to stay.”
Ian lives on, defending the kingdoms of Murdoy. This is the last of the stories chronicling the adventures of the protector of Murdoy, the noble Ian Lockwood.

THE END