Bab 265: Resolution (2)

"You say you can't escape your fate," the Sage said, his voice gentle. "But perhaps your fate is not what you think it is. Perhaps your true purpose lies not in avoiding the darkness, but in facing it head-on. Perhaps, in your struggle, you'll find a strength you never knew you possessed."

Willow looked at the Sage, his gaze piercing. There was a truth in the Sage's words, a flicker of hope that he hadn't considered. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't destined for a life of forced support and healing. Maybe his path was forged in steel and fire, a path of resistance against the encroaching darkness.

He looked away, a flicker of determination in his eyes. He had his army. He had his Steel, his Omni-Mage, his beloved Elder God. He had his strength, his training, his will to fight. He had a purpose, a reason to stand against the tide.