The room was circular with many torches that beamed red light. I'm the center was the stone, the all powerful Faldenstone had been blackened by the dark magic of Vervian. It bulged like a beating heart, and black veins treaded in all directions from it.
Elric was chained against the far wall, opposite of Malcom. Malcom unsheathed his sword and slowly stepped forward cautiously. Elric was struggling frantically, as Malcom took the gag out of the boys mouth.
"It's a trap! Cut yourself Malcom!"Elric shouted.
"Malcom!"a familiar voice said from behind him.
Fareman stood at the doorway with a weak smile. He was bloody, burnt, and shredded. But he smiled.
Malcom smiled back as he prepared to cut himself, when Vervian appeared behind Fareman.
Malcom and Elric screamed as Fareman was impaled through the gut. Fareman collapsed to the dusty ground, out of the fight and out of strength.
Malcom's eyes widened with anger at the sight of Vervian. Vervian scared Malcom more than anything else he had ever met because of how happy he was to do terrible things. He was smooth, and cunning.
Vervian slowly stepped forward and looked at the sword.
"Malcom, you disappoint me! You couldn't keep the infant safe, for a few days!"Vervian said wickedly.
"Kill him, Malcom!" Elric shouted.
"You'll die, Malcom, and then Elric will. You cannot beat me."Vervian said with a smile.
Malcom ignored Vervian and began to cut into his hand. Vervian screamed and flew towards Malcom like an arrow.
Vervian's sword swung down so quickly that Malcom could barely block it. Malcom swiped the blade left and dashed right to avoid the backlash. All Elric could do is watch helplessly during the fight until one of the chains that was holding him against the wall broke.
Malcom was leading in the fight. Vervian knew he was losing so he did the dishonorable thing. The fire from the torches turned into a white light that temporarily blinded Malcom long enough for Vervian to stab Malcom directly in the heart.
The light went back to normal as Malcom fell the the ground in pain. Elric screamed as he broke from the last of his chains.
Vervian slowly walked to the dying Malcom as Malcom inches away from the man and closer to the stone. Vervian started to laugh.
"Ah, The chosen one. You failed!"Vervian shouted.
Elric and Vervian were surprised to see Malcom laughing with blood seeping from his mouth and chest. Elric then realized why.
"You should have killed me over there." Malcom said as he spit blood into his hand.
Malcom slammed his hand onto the stone and then fell backwards.
"No! No! No!"Vervian shouted angrily.
But it was too late, the stone changed into a blue color and then shattered into millions of pieces. It was done. All Elric could hope for was that he he goblins hadn't attacked Sawlendale yet.
Vervian screamed angrily and then stabbed Malcom in the chest again. But Malcom had already died. Fareman had come too and quickly shoved Vervian off of Malcom and then jammed his hand into Vervian's chest.
Vervian didn't scream, all he did was look at Fareman with a look of confusion. Fareman's face twitched angrily as Vervian's heart was ripped from his chest. Elric then lifted Malcom's sword and Separated Vervian's head from his shoulders.
Fareman then looked at Elric with wide eyes and then collapsed to the floor dead as well. Elric dropped the sword out of shock. But before anything else could happen, Phillip and Samson rushed through the door.
"Samson?"Elric asked.
"We have to hurry! We can save them if we hurry!"Samson shouted.
Phillip closed his eyes and placed his left hand in Fareman's death wound. Samson did the same with Malcom's.
"Why didn't you come sooner?"Elric asked with his arms crossed.
"The influenced stone weakened my powers. Believe me boy, I wanted to help you way more."Samson said as blue light went from his hands into Malcom's body.
Fareman sat up so quickly that Phillip was pushed onto his back. He was alive.
"Did I die?"The ex-thief asked.
"Do you really want to know?"Phillip said with snark.
Samuel took longer to heal Malcom but it worked and Malcom's eyes opened. The first thing he saw was Vervian's Head.
Samuel carefully helped Malcom to his feet as he finished healing the man.
"Did it work?" Malcom asked painfully.
"The stone's gone!"Elric shouted.
"Not gone, but separated into millions of pieces. It is useless to both sides now."Samuel said.
"Both sides?"Fareman asked.
"The good and the evil."Samuel said.
"We should leave, we have to get to Henry and William."Malcom said.
"Well, consider it a gift."Samuel said with a smile.
"What do you mean?"Elric asked.
But Samuel and Phillip were gone, and the three of them were in Arronsville. This act really made Malcom realize how powerful Samuel was.
William and the mostly recovered Henry were packing the cart, with their things. They would have left if they hadn't seen Malcom, Elric, and Fareman.
Henry was overjoyed and William was confused by how they suddenly appeared. Elric ran away from Fareman and Malcom and towards the cart. Malcom and Fareman decided to take their time on the way back.
"I can't believe we did this."Fareman said.
"Me neither." Malcom replied flatly.
"Are you alright?"Fareman asked.
"Are we good or evil?"Malcom asked.
"Neither."Fareman said.
Malcom laughed to himself. Fareman was right. They weren't bad or good. They were their own category. Their own mold.
They were Scoundrels.
