It took another day before the besiegers were able to defeat the besieged. The stiff defences of Nosgrid still inflicted dreadful losses on the Vigardians that they were having a hard time in conducting another campaign against the other kingdoms allied to Nosgrid. The heroic deeds of the people fighting with Thyperion showed how they value Light rather than Darkness; it showed how they valued Peace rather than War and Destruction.

“After this long and arduous battle, the King has finally showed himself up and was right now kneeling on us,” insulted one Vigardian general. This general also wore black armour and carried a huge war mallet as big as his head. This general had killed a lot of Nosgridians using this, and he is also ready to strike down Thyperion with it, had he not been stopped by Demophoon himself.

Demophoon walked right in front of the King. He wore huge and thick armour and it is covered with the hot scales of a dragon which added its thickness and made it more impossible to pierce using a spear, javelin or spear. Swords would also prove difficult to penetrate through the hide. He also has a black cape, as black as coal tar and embroidered on its surface is a human skull to instil terror and horror on those who see it. His helmet looks like a skull of a dragon with its eye socket only open for him to see, and it has two sharp horns protruding at the top of his head. The helmet is heavy enough for a strong man to carry on his head, but Demophoon, through age and power, easily wielded it upon his head.

They are at the Nosgridian hall where Thyperion would usually sit beside his queen and in front of the Council and the people. There used to be glorious banners hanging upon the marbled columns, but right now, the banners were torn and burned down during the attack. The seats where the Council members sit were also being destroyed. The whole place was being destroyed and only falling debris and dead bodies of Nosgridian and Vigardian alike littered the floor. The wide hall was filled with the survivors of the Vigardian army, and two Nosgridian survivors, Thyperion and Themis.

“Think about it, Thyperion. Why not bow down to me and so save yourself and your wife from horrible death which I have prepared if you still stand to refuse my offer,” questioned Demophoon. His fell voice sounded with terror on all those who heard him, except Thyperion and Themis.

Both never yielded. Themis was grievously wounded by a spear on her left abdomen. Miraculously she was still able to stay alive as long as she could. She continued to fight the pain and suffering of terrible blood loss. She couldn’t stop it as both of her weary arms were spread wide and are being held by two Vigardian troops. She is also already trembling and very weary of standing. She just leaned on the two who held her up. Though her body is already broken and tired, she still continued to stay awake and showed to Thyperion that she is not going to give up to Demophoon. And this is what Thyperion did see as he looked in pity for his wife and queen.

“Let her go, Demophoon. She has nothing to do with this. This is our quarrel between you and me. She did not even join at Elyin i Naersted,” pleaded Thyperion. His breath is already cutting off, but he still fought hard to stay awake, despite the weariness and extreme tiredness he has been.

He already lost a lot of blood, and his mortal skin is already becoming very pale. Any moment soon, his blood would completely run out and he will no longer live to see the next day. But he still continued to fight on. He saw his wife still struggling to stay alive with steadfast courage and an unyielding heart. He was grateful that his wife did never leave by his side, and also fought alongside with him despite all the hardships they have been through.

Demophoon smiled and went near Thyperion. Thyperion was brought down by the heavy metal platform that was placed at his back. His arms were being chained on it and his heels were being held fast by a thick rope, as thick as his arm.

“Thyperion, Thyperion, you knew me already. Hundreds of years ago, it was you who trained me to fight and to be strong on myself. It was you who told me not to give in to any pleas of the enemies, remember? It was you who told me to fight on to achieve what I wanted. Now, here I am, giving you two choices: either give me what I want, or suffer the sight of you and your precious wife getting everything I have in store for you,” Demophoon laughed.

Demophoon was right, Thyperion thought. He was the one who trained Demophoon when he was young at the halls of Draekonia. He could still recall that he was always the one who helped Demophoon how to fight with weapons and wits to emerge victorious in battle. And he also taught him to fight for what he wanted. He just didn’t know that Demophoon would still use that right now, when Thyperion himself would be the one whose life lies on the line.

“I want the sword forged along with the Nautilus, Thyperion,” ordered Demophoon, “you have it with you after the Mag Tuired, and I know it’s still with you.”

Thyperion just laughed. He already has extreme shortness of breath, but still he manages to laugh at Demophoon’s misperceptions, “No, Demophoon… the sword with the Nautilus is no longer with me… You are misled by that wrong information.”

Upon hearing this, his anger soared high. He thundered and his minions shrunk in fear, “What?! Are you making fun of me? Can you bear to see your wife suffer more? If not, give me the sword. And you can bow down to me, and by that, I will give you a quick and painless death.” He drew Zikel-thudred; it is already red with blood, despite its black coloured metal on its blade.

“Perhaps… you haven’t heard… of the… prophecy, Demophoon,” Thyperion said.

It caught the attention of everybody there. Even Queen Themis didn’t know of any prophecy concerning about the sword. Demophoon looked at Thyperion with wonder. Many questions clouded his thoughts. He wondered what the Prophecy is about.

“A Prophecy? Is there such prophecy about the sword? I don’t think so.”

Thyperion smiled and looked at Demophoon. He couldn’t see Demophoon’s face, but he knew that too much terror and malice has broken and disfigured Demophoon’s face. His eyes were sharp still, despite the extreme mortal age he has, somehow the Power of the Elves still flows on his blood.

“The Time of the Elves will soon fade like the leaves blown in the winds

But know this, one shall soon rise;

One among the Mortals will take over the One True Magic ever created.

A boy born from the Union of Elves and Men;

Flowing through his veins is an Immortal blood mixed with that of a Mortal.

Under his banner will the true Balance, with which you have fought, will only be attained.

Evil will tremble down his feet when he has come of age and knowledge.

The Power of the Nautilus will only yield to his prowess;

For Good or Evil, the Fate of the Land will weave to this boy’s life and journey,

If you want to make him be the Hand of Light, take him to a safe place

Far away from the reach of Evil, and the Sword with the Nautilus forged in it

will find him and Darkness will be defeated”

This surprised everybody, including Themis and Demophoon. They haven’t heard of such prophecy. This was told to Thyperion when he was still at Atlantica more than two hundred years ago. The prophecy was revealed to Angelus and he shared it to Thyperion as he knew that only Thyperion, among all the Elven, was married to a Mortal woman. Angelus knew that from the blood of Thyperion, the true Hope of All will be born to lead the people and totally defeat Evil. Through this boy, the Fate of the Land is being woven, for Good or for Evil.

Upon hearing this, Demophoon got furious. He stood up and walked away Thyperion and his snarl could be heard. The Evil touch of the sceptre of Zagnius has made him into a monster, no longer human nor Elven, but a Scourge of Death. He has also touched the Nautilus, but since he is a Human, the power of the Nautilus twisted his life into grievous suffering and malice. He was being tormented by the Evils of the World and as the years have gone by, he became more and more hideous and terrible to look upon.

“Then it became clear to me that you enjoy unimaginable suffering with your wife, Thyperion. And you are indeed strong on your resolve, to have been able to remain naïve as ever in face of the torment that I have prepared for you should you still remain unyielding on my simple request,” Demophoon said.

“I would even laugh at the face of death rather than give what you wanted, Demophoon. I would never regret it; I only regretted on one thing, for having to trust you all those years when you were still young,” Thyperion defiled in anger.

“So be it. You will no longer see the light of day, Thyperion, the Fallen King of Nosgrid. Tomorrow, I will hang your head on the kingdom’s front gate. And your body will be fed to the birds and beasts who will be roaming this land. Your precious kingdom will be razed to the ground and ruins will be left here, so that no more will be living here; not even in the next Age,” Demophoon decreed.

“Alright, you can do what you want, since you can no longer get anything from me or from my wife. We will die altogether happy as ever will be for not giving what you wanted,” Thyperion courageously answered.

This angered Demophoon. Let them stand up and locked in their room. We will give them time to prepare themselves,” ordered Demophoon.  The Vigardians lifted them up and dragged them to the left hall where there was a broken room. It is the guest room if ever there would be visitors on the Kingdom. It used to be a good place to rest for a weary traveller, but now, it’s like other rooms being ravaged by the fierce battle all around it. There they left them, still tied with chains.

They sat beside each other. Thyperion was somehow surprised to see his wife staying with him while the City is besieged. He thought that she had already left along with their son while he fought the enemy at the crumbling walls. By now, they would have reached Atlantica or at the edge of the kingdom far away safe from the Vigardians.

“I thought… that you already… escaped with Eilaer... I… ordered him… to… escort you so… you will be safe… from… Demophoon,” Thyperion said. His breath is getting slower and slower. He felt dying already.

“Hush, my Love. You should rest while you can. There’s no need to be furious with Eilaer. I, myself ordered him that I will stay here and fight with you,” Themis answered. Though she is already weakened as well, she still continued to struggle on. Her courage and fearlessness made Thyperion proud and grateful that he had a wife who is beyond any Mortal he knew in terms of courage and dignity. She went closer to Thyperion and reached for his bloodied lips for one kiss.

“I am so happy and blessed to have you as my wife, my Love… Becoming a Mortal… is not that bad after all, at least… I got the remaining years… of my life spent… with you. And being… a… father to a… boy like Archel… is no less… as wonderful as… I was… once an Elven… on the High Halls of… Fantasia,” Thyperion smiled, and with it, he began to fall down.

His Mortal body is no longer able to hold the burden right upon him, as well as the grievous wounds which is weakening him with every breathe he gives out. He lowered down his head and closed his weary eyes. He then raised his head one last time and spoke his would-be last words.

“Finally… my time has come… at least I saw you… right here… by my side… till the end, and… my boy safe… from harm… no more could a father like me wish… for more with these… granted. Sadly though, that… I could no longer… see what would happen… next for my soul… will go with… the Ancients to the Far West… where our spirits… could lie in peace. Everything… I wished for has come, though I… did not wish that we… will end like this. Yet, on the other hand, knowing… that Archel is already… being brought to Atlantica, I have high hopes… that he… will be the one who… will be… the salvation of the… Peoples of the Land… who are continually… fighting against… Darkness and Evil. Never have there been… a wish granted more… than what I have… right now. And with it, I… am… grateful.”

Having said those, his spirit finally departed from the Mortal Plane. He breathed his last and took one last glance on Themis. He smiled at her as tears began to fall from his sapphire-coloured eyes. Themis cried silently as she watched her Love and King closed his eyes and lied down. Despite the hardships of being a Mortal, Thyperion still managed to become a happy man. Benevolent throughout his reign, he was able to lead his people to live in Peace and Harmony. Themis saw that Thyperion already left, and decided she will do the same.

“You may have lived too long before me, for the lifespan of Elves far exceeded those of Mortals, still I cannot allow you to leave long before me. Though we have lived together for a short time, it would always remain a memory for me, though my body will remain here on the Kingdom we both have established. Had it not for you, my Love, I wouldn’t understand much of the ways of the Elves, the Races which I fancied when I was young. And living our last alongside with you, I couldn’t be much happier. And I would not let Death even to separate us. I, too can be brave, even at Death’s door. I, too can still show you how I am strong, same as when we first met when I rescued you from those barbarians from the South.”

She then closed her eyes to rest at last. All her thoughts now remain calm and she breathed slowly and slowly, fading to deep silence. She then died alongside Thyperion for they can no longer struggle the extreme weariness and loss of blood from their bodies. Though there is intense heat surrounding about them, they can no longer cry in vain for they already left the Mortal Plane.

On Demophoon’s orders, the city was being burned and razed to the ground. Juggernauts carved into the shape of dragons were brought in and used to burn the walls and the houses. Everything were being burned including the countless bodies littering the besieged city.  The army of Vigard then marched back to their kingdom, weary and very much decreased in number. Though Demophoon brought in a very huge army, he returned to the Kingdom with less than a quarter remaining. He never thought that the city of Thyperion would be that strong.

The city was still burning and black smoke arose from it. Demophoon looked on, happy for the victory he had accomplished for defeating Thyperion, though he still failed in obtaining the sword which he had long been seeking out. His mind still lay deep in thought about the prophecy he has heard from Thyperion. Then a Vigardian general approached him, and bowed in front of him.

“My Lord, now that Nosgrid has fallen, it’s high time we prepare for a campaign in capturing the allied kingdoms loyal to Thyperion,” he said in a fell voice.

Demophoon thought about it. Though these kingdoms will be powerless without Thyperion and his Nosgridians, still he is having doubts if he can easily defeat these allied Kingdoms. He replied in a deep voice, “Hold down. We had suffered tremendous losses and we would need another strong army to take on these kingdoms. We still do not have the sword that Thyperion had hidden. First look for the sword and the boy, the son of Thyperion. He is the one stated on the Prophecy. He must be brought to me, dead or alive.”

The Vigardian general understood and agreed. He again bowed down and left him to command the army to march back in the same order as they have marched before they began their assault. Demophoon again looked at the burning city. But his mind is ever on the Magic Sword and on the boy, the so-called Hope of All.

“I will focus the army of Vigard on searching for that Magic Sword and on getting your son, Thyperion. Soon enough, he will be under my control or have his soul fed on my sword,” Demophoon thought on himself while gripping his sword tightly. Zikel-thudred is ever becoming stroner and stronger with each soul it had slain, and it has become even stronger after claiming the lives of both Thyperion and Themis. He then rode on his chariot and then marched along with the army back to hisDark Kingdom of Vigard, where another army is being mustered for the next attack to engulf the Land of Gleipnir in total Darkness.