A Change In The Horizon || The Lost One AU

35. (Epilogue): The Listener's Champion

"Desperate times call for drastic measures!" The Listener king was saying, heated in yet another argument with the Great Ones. It seemed that all was lost, now that another sign of destruction had revealed itself: that The First sign would leave.

The Great Ones stood their ground, staying quiet as they pondered their next course of action. They had already planned for Xiomara to go out and search the worlds for the traitor, but even they knew that was not enough. 

"Give him over to me! Now more than ever The First needs a Champion and you know it!" How could they still be hesitating after all this time? After there was simply no other course of action? "If we are to work together, you need to allow me to contribute my share. This is the best chance we have and you know it."

Almost begrudgingly, the Great Watchers replied in unison. "Very well, then. We shall allow it, although the decision ultimately lies in the hands of the Void itself." With that, the Great Lord moved off the hole that sat beneath him, the mouth of the Void.

The Listener King felt the anger that had been bubbling for a few centuries over this matter finally settle down. He took a deep breath to release it into the air as he walked over to the entrance. He unwrapped his bandages a bit so he stood twenty feet tall as he reached the Void's edge. He held out his arms, ready to receive his Champion if the Void willed it.

It was only a few moments before the Void seemed to slither, a funnel of black knitting itself together to reach to the king. It fully covered his hands and then climbed its way up his arms, cloaking them in total darkness. The black emptiness began to have weight, collecting little by little like rainwater in a basin. When the collection of hidden matter weighed very roughly one-hundred-fifty pounds, the Void receded, revealing the elf that it had banished from within itself. He was deep in slumber, his head lying against the Listener. The size difference was enough to make the one asleep look like a child, his legs dangling far from the ground.

The creature stepped back from the hole in the Sanctum, gently running a hand through the elf's blond hair. He couldn't help but grin to himself, feeling the progress he had made in his arms. He held the unconscious elf closer yet, whispering in his ear, "Let's go, Martyn. I have much to teach you."

~🌤~

Annndddd that's a wrap! 

Honestly from the beginning so many of you thought the Champion was Martyn. I often wondered if it was really necessary for me to be so cryptic in this case, but I still was anyway. 

Regardless, this story is done! I knew for awhile ACITH was coming to an end. In fact, I already made the story cover for the next book a few months back already. I'll be posting the first chapter as soon as this up, so stay tuned! It's called The Hidden Gateway, and it should be on my profile.