Well, you wanted to be a writer...

But at what cost?

The party entered the top room of the spire.  It seemed to be a lookout point gazing upon the ravaged town.  They knew all they had to do was find and destroy the phylactery, a mysterious magical item tied to the life force of their enemy, and the Demilich would be destroyed.  The party assumed it was in the top of the magical spire.  Yet after thoroughly searching it appeared as though they were wrong.

Jinx, the party's thieving and lazy rogue had hardly had the chance to utter  "Hey maybe we should look somewhere else," when dark energy started swirling into the shape of the party's enemy, Morozedon.  Eventually, it corporealized, becoming of real substance, a tall figure of evil.

"Ahh, my archnemesis, Lito, how was life in the underworld?"  Lito growled at the figure.  "Ah yes well.  Let me guess.  You come to beat me. we fight, you imprison me with that little magic scroll in the jar, I escape, I take over the world, around and around we go.  You never learn do you?"  He started to walk over to Lito.  "And what did you do?  Bring helpless mortals to fight our eternal battle?  Pitiful."  At this Etta spoke up.

"Um, actually," she took a step towards Morozedon.  "We brought him here to you.  I speak for my friends when I say we are in love with your power" another step "And I, as leader of this group pledge our services to you." One last step.  Morozedon looked at her with interest.

"Oh, do you truly wish to help?"  She nodded stepping closer once more, now less than a foot away from her enemy.  "Then kill Lito."

"But of course," she whispered, almost reverently.  "But there is one thing I don't understand.  All this time it has been between the two of you.  Correct?"  She looked up at Morozedon's soulless eyes.  He nodded.  "So things have always remained the same.  So the way to change things, to end things has never really occurred.  Well, what if we added a bit of power to the mix hmm?  What if," she stepped in between Morozedon and Leto, "What if I used my power to defeat... you".  With that, she released one of the more powerful fireballs she had ever thrown, fire and magic coursing through her fingertips straight towards the demon-esque figure.

What happened next could only be described as battle epic enough to wake the dead.  (Literally, as the party had risen from the dead and were now fighting zombies).  On and on the battle went, spells being cast left and right, Jinx sneaking in and out like a deadly spider, and Etta leading the charge against Morozedon.  Eventually, though it seemed futile.  They were slowly running out of magic, and more zombies just kept replacing the ones felled.  Morozedon kept smiling, taunting them to use the scroll and imprison them.  It was Rory, the cleric, who realized the party's fault.

"Guys!  Destroy the scroll.  If he wants us to use it *argh*," he stabbed a passing zombie "then I say we just get rid of the cursed thing!"

"Great idea!  Jinx, give it to me I'll burn it!"  Etta shrieked across the sounds of battle.  Jinx nodded tossing the jar toward Etta who effortlessly caught it.  Morozedon seemed to notice.

"No, human don't!"  He shot out six magic missiles towards Etta.  Time seemed to slow towards a crawl.  Etta looked around.  Everything she had gone through had led to this.  Fate twisting her towards a destiny.  Save the world.  Save the world.  Save the world.  Etta didn't know what to do.  Save herself, condemning the party and world to death?  Or Burn, knowing she would not live in the new world.  She looked at her friends, her family.

Jinx, the bravest of souls.  She had taught Etta to fight through anything and to never give up.

Emellda, who had taught her that magic always came with a price.

Jameson, always there to remind Etta that things would be ok.  That not everyone would leave her.

Uncle Rory, who had watched and protected Etta throughout her childhood.  She would miss him.  It was her turn to protect him.

And Zora.  Oh, Zora.  She hadn't made it to the final fight.  She had always kept Etta alive.  She had been a mother to her.  Etta missed her.  She would return to her after this was done.  After it was all done.  In the end, it wasn't the prophecy that told her what to do.  It was them.  All of her family, who would suffer if she didn't destroy the scroll.  She had no choice. 

Etta lit the scroll on fire.

"YOU WON'T TAKE MY FAMILY AWAY!"

The spells connected, but by then it was too late.  The magical girl, so little at the start of her journey, had succeeded.  In a scream of pain Morozedon, himself seemed to burn alive.  They had figured out what the Phylactory was.  It was the scroll.  The scroll that imprisoned him and kept him alive.  The ashes now spreading into the air.  The jar dropped with a shatter as Etta took the magical impact of several magical missiles.

"For my family."  With that Etta exited the mortal realm, to reunite with Zorra in Necropolis.  They hadn't left her.   She had left them.  The party looked out upon the battlefield.  Dead bodies scattered across the still-smoldering ruins.  The bodies were at rest.  No longer zombies at the behest of Morozedon.  Crickets chirruped in the evening light.  It was over.  The war was done.  The world had changed once again.  And no one would ever forget the little girl from the woods.

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Video by: Ghostlight Records

... Maybe Etta does need a full story.  This is such a different Etta to the one from the first two.  It was kind of difficult to write honestly.  I know someone would understand it all.  But how did Etta get this way?  Who is Jinx?  Or Rory?  I feel like quite a story must be set up.  So who knows.  Maybe one day.  But not in this book.  And not today.

Also, seriously listen to the song!  I normally don't make a point to say this but this song is different.  It is amazing though gut-wrenchingly sad.