The Dragon's Gift

(this is when I lived in Stony. I am still only 21, my hair is short, and my teeth are straight, but in this story, I still have my CP, shunt, tube, and scars. However, Marc also has somehow used his powers to drain my own healing powers, alongside my empathic mimicry, meaning that while I still have all of my other abilities, I have completely lost all access to them, thus rendering me mortal, which I have been for almost five and a half years now)

Chapter I - Gabriel's Request


I lay in my bed, wide awake. Countless nights of being cast into the Nightmare's dark, cold netherworld, were slowly starting to take a toll on me.

I didn't know just how much longer my sanity could resist against Marc's diabolical torture. I tossed and turned, trying to get some peaceful rest.

But each time I drifted off, the inevitable darkness would yield the unmistakeable glow of the Nightmare's blood-red sky.

I knew that, since every single one of my powers were lost forever, I could no longer do anything supernatural to help people, and since my healing power was lost, I would have only so long to live before aging and passing like all other people normally do.

'NO!' I told myself firmly. 'I will NOT give in to this again!!'

Breathing deeply and slowly to keep calm, I poured out my heart to God.

'Lord, I know that You watch over us all, at every moment in our lives. I am forever grateful for Your guidance in my own life, and I beg You Lord, eternally release me from Marc's grip, and let me live a life of peace! I ask only this, in Your name, Amen!'

Feeling slightly reassured with this prayer, I turned over, and closed my eyes again. This time, however, I found myself in a different place. It was a vast rocky landscape, overlooking a large, seemingly-endless canyon beneath a deep blue summer sky, within which there was an ancient yet massive stone city, that I recognized as Petra, located in southern Jordan.

I knew that Petra housed a secret: a solid gold chalice that, when filled with a person's own blood and drank, would grant the consumer powers beyond human comprehension, but short of the power of God Himself.

There were three chalices: one gold, one bronze, and one obsidian. An ancient legend, so old that it was all but forgotten in modern history, told of a great dragon, Drake, who had battled an evil eastern dragon, Griffin, for the salvation of humanity. Drake was very fond of humans, as they were of him, but Griffin's lust for power had twisted his mind, breaking the friendship he'd shared with Drake, and leading Griffin to despise humans. They had fought an epic battle against one another that had nearly wiped out all humanity.

However, Drake managed to win, nearly at the cost of his life. But in the last few seconds before the end, Drake somehow ripped off one of Griffin's dragon scales, from his back, which was re-forged into the Bronze Chalice, and also severed one of his toes; the claw from which was transformed into the Obsidian Chalice.

Thus, Griffin's soul was somehow drained from his mortal body, and split into two halves: one which was bound into the Obsidian Chalice, and the other into the Bronze Chalice. Because of Griffin's total disregard for life, the Bronze Chalice gained the power to drain the life-force from, and thus kill, any person who partook of it, while the evil within Griffin's soul was bound into the Obsidian Chalice, giving it the power to resurrect him through anyone who drank their own blood from the chalice!

After Griffin's defeat, the angel Gabriel helped Drake, now a mortal man, to bring the three chalices to Petra, Jordan, placing them in a secret chamber inside the temple. However, in order to get to the chamber, a person would need to cross three challenges, being exactly like those in 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade': the Breath of God, the Word of God, and the Path of God.

These challenges, being too complex and too dangerous to have been crafted by mortal hands, were in fact devised and created by Gabriel himself, under God's direction.

As in the movie 'The Last Crusade', and similar to choosing the true Grail, the cup of a servant, choosing the golden chalice transformed the drinker into a dragon; a creature of immense power, yet pure of heart and soul, and wise of mind, but most definitely beneath the power of God!

The obsidian chalice changed a drinker into a reincarnated form of Griffin the dragon, himself, full of the vilest evil and darkness to ever have existed, while the bronze chalice resulted in instant death by sucking the life out of the consumer for the other two drinkers of the gold and obsidian chalices, causing him to be burnt alive!!

The vision slowly faded away, before I saw a faint light emerge from the darkness that followed. As I watched, I saw an angel emerge from the light, and stand before me, as I kneeled, bowing my head. The angel then spoke.

"Fear not, Charlie!" he said. "I am the angel Gabriel, and have come with a special task for you, from God Himself!! He has promised that if you succeed, you will be granted wisdom, knowledge, power, and life beyond the reach of all mortal men!!

"Your heart is pure, your will is strong, and your faith, above all, is unfailing! But be warned: What you are hunting for can either hold the key to eternal life, wisdom, and power, or it can lead to eternal perdition, unleashing a terrible power over humanity, and also upon those who are unwise and unrighteous. However, you can still prevent such a calamity, but only if he who chooses the path of evil, through the Obsidian Chalice, is defeated by one who drinks of the Golden Chalice, for it will instil in them the strength needed to stop he who is inclined toward evil. But Marc and his friends will stop at nothing to obtain what is not, and never will be, rightfully theirs.

However, the true test that awaits you is the choice you must make, for there are three keys to the power, but only one of them is the true form, so you must choose wisely!!

The first step in your quest is to find the canyon, within which lies the city of Petra. Be true to your heart, Charlie, and Jesus will guide you to the end!!"
...

Chapter II - The Journey

I slowly awoke to the bright morning sunlight shining into my room, and sat up, yawning and stretching.

After a quick shower and breakfast, I cleaned up, and went out to sit on the front step.

I sat quietly, just thinking of my family. Looking down, I saw my silver ring, the exact same one that Thorin Oakenshield himself had worn in the movie 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey', shine brilliantly in the sun, as the blue sodalite gemstone within the cage sparkled, and choked back a sob, remembering how my dad had given it to me as a gift just before he died, and it was all I had to remember him by. And although this ring had reminded Thorin of all he had lost when Erebor was taken by Smaug, for me, it was a comforting reminder of my father, and my family.

After a moment of grieving for my father, my brother Brandon, and Barb as well, I looked up, wiping away my tears.

'I must be strong!' I told myself. 'I must not let my grief, or the realization of what Marc did, stop me from fulfilling this mission! God has assured me that my family is with Him, and I know they are proud of me!'

Fuelled by determination at this realization, I got up. Going inside, I proceeded to gather all I needed for a journey to Jordan, including my wallet, shades, my fedora, a water canteen, a walking staff, and my compass.

This was all I really needed, because I knew that I would not be coming back.

Readying my belongings, I stored them in the seat compartment of my Harley Davidson V-Rod motorcycle, donned my shades and helmet, and headed out of town toward the Winnipeg airport.

Once there, I left my motorbike safely in a special hangar with some personnel, and told them that they could use it however they wished, because I would not be returning. They agreed, and helped me board a flight bound for Jordan after I donned my fedora and jacket, looking somewhat like a young Indiana Jones!!

I quickly gathered my possessions, and boarded a private flight with a pilot and private attendant. "I have enough fuel for a trip all the way to Jordan and back, so there shouldn't be any problems, sir!" the pilot informed me with a smile, as I shook his hand, smiling.

"Thank you, but I don't think I will be returning!" I replied. The pilot nodded, understanding, before the attendant, a young woman in her mid-twenties, helped me get comfortable, and brought me a cool lemonade drink.

I felt my eagerness grow as the plane took off, knowing that I was pursuing a legendary talisman that had been virtually unknown for millennia! But now, I would find it, and be given a whole new beginning!!

However, I did remember what Gabriel had said: 'What you are hunting for can either hold the key to eternal life, wisdom, and power, or it can lead to eternal perdition, unleashing a terrible power over humanity, and also upon those who are unwise and unrighteous. However, you can still prevent such a calamity, but only if he who chooses the path of evil, through the Obsidian Chalice, is defeated by one who drinks of the Golden Chalice, for it will instil in them the strength needed to stop he who is inclined toward evil. But Marc and his friends will stop at nothing to obtain what is not, and never will be, rightfully theirs.'

I leaned back in my seat, lowered my fedora over my eyes, and drifted off.

'I know that I can stop them!' I thought to myself. 'I believe God can help me do what is right, for all of mankind!'

...

Chapter III- A Race Against Time

The next morning, at around 10:00 am, I was woken by the flight attendant, who informed me that the plane was just about to arrive at the Amman Civil Airport in Amman, Jordan.

The attendant helped me collect my belongings, then I bade farewell to the pilot, who wished me good luck.

Stepping out onto the warm tarmac in the morning sun, I stretched, yawning, and raised my head skyward, breathing the fresh morning air.

A young man named Garrett Archer, who greeted me there, said that he would be my guide in the quest to find the temple and its secret. He was about my age, tall and handsome, with a clean-shaven though weathered complexion, kind blue eyes, and short, dark brown hair. He wore black runners, bluejeans, a plain white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket.

"I must warn you though, Charlie, that Marc and his friends have been tailing us!"

I looked shocked! "They have, Garrett?!" He nodded gravely.

"Marc wants the power as much as you do, but if he gets hold of the obsidian chalice, and drinks his own blood from it, its power could turn him into something that is all but unstoppable!"

But a defiant expression crossed my face, as I put a hand on Garrett's shoulder, looking him in the eye.

"God has promised me that He will guide me, Garrett!" I replied confidently. "If I change, and Marc or his friends try to hurt you, just call my name, and the Lord will let me come to you! I know that while I will be powerful, no man or beast under Heaven will ever equal His might!! Satan was guilty of that in the very beginning, and it was unforgivable!! But please understand that God will use man in wonderful ways to do His will, Garrett, and I also believe God will use me in wonderful ways to ensure the freedom of all humanity from evil!!"

He smiled, and nodded knowingly. It turned out that Garrett knew the directions to the very location of Al-Khazneh, 'The Treasury', and so he and I rode two horses that he had sometime earlier gotten from a shepherd. The journey across the desert was not easy, but we had more than enough water for our horses, and Garrett was an expert at desert survival, which was invaluable on such a dangerous mission.

Then, about three miles west of our starting point, Garrett picked up movement on the horizon. Grabbing his spyglass from his belt, he looked closely.

"No! It can't be!!" he gasped. I was worried by his tone of voice.

"What is it?" I asked, as he turned to me.

"We must hurry, Charlie!" Garrett said sombrely. "Marc and his friends have tracked us here, and will stop at nothing to get their hands on the chalices!"

My expression turned stone-cold, as did my voice; my eyes blazing with rage.

"We will stop them, together!!" I replied confidently, and with that, my friend and I urged our horses into a fast gallop, side-by-side, across the hot sands of the desert.

The heat by now was intense, but it was lost on us both as we raced toward our destination, and toward the salvation of all mankind!!

I had only two thoughts on my mind at that moment, one, that I would stop Marc from sending humanity into eternal darkness, and two, that I would fight for their freedom, even at the cost of my own life.

I had never been afraid of death, and having nearly been murdered by Marc many times before, only strengthened my faith in God each time He had worked to save my life. Death had also been virtually unknown to me in the twenty-six years that I had had my healing & regenerative powers, through my primary power of empathic mimicry.

However, I never did forget the moment Marc had used his father Satan's power to drain the ability out of me, thus permanently disabling all the other powers I had absorbed, just like Arthur Petrelli did to his son Peter, in the Heroes episode 'Dying of the Light'!!

That had been about five years ago, and in that time, Marc and his friends had indeed come close to killing me more than once. But I knew God would always protect me.

'As the blood of Christ filled the Holy Grail at the Crucifixion, so my own blood shall fill the Golden Dragon Chalice, if God wills it.'

Our journey took us most of the day, and by the time we were near to our destination, the sun was beginning to set, thus cooling the desert to a tolerable temperature. By now, the stars had begun appearing gradually in the twilight sky, with the thin sliver of a full moon just starting to rise in the east.

Chapter IV - To Rise Against Evil

I soon could make out the unmistakable form of Al-Siq, otherwise known as 'the Shaft', in the distance, which was the entrance to Al-Khazneh, where the Chalices were hidden.

The sight started my heart pounding. I was close! In the back of my mind, I knew that if I became my true self, I would be granted new powers that would make my empathic mimicry, and every power I'd had through it, seem absolutely puny in comparison!! But I was wise to realize who my powers had come from, which was what truly mattered, because with God, nothing is impossible!

Garrett and I continued, noticing Marc and his friends were closer now, but there was still time.

Soon, we both arrived at Al-Siq, and dismounted our steeds, as they sensed Marc and his friends' presence, and stood still.

I quickly led them both into a small, dark alcove in the wall near the entrance, which was a good spot for them both to rest.

We then checked again, and saw they were only a quarter-mile away.

"We have to hurry!" I whispered, as Garrett nodded. My friend and I raced toward the temple, but were only fifteen feet from the entrance, when we both heard the sound of a gun being cocked behind us.

We turned, and there stood Marc, with his friends behind him. Garrett and I stood still, glaring at him defiantly. "So, this is where it ends!!" Marc sneered triumphantly. "I will enjoy killing you and your friend, Charlie, after I drink my blood from the Golden Chalice! You both can either choose to die by the Bronze Chalice, or be cast into ultimate darkness by the Obsidian Chalice. It's your choice! But know that neither one of you will ever be saved!!"

My expression could have melted ice. "Do you honestly believe that you will drink from the Golden Chalice, Marc?" I asked in a voice that rang like iron. "It is said in the Bible that for the unrighteous, the Grail held eternal perdition, but only for them. If you drink from the Golden Chalice, your evil will infect humanity forever!" I looked him in the eye. "Do you truly believe God would let that happen, because I don't!!"

"And neither do I, Marc!" Garrett said defiantly. With that, both he and I turned, and raced through the doorway into the Temple.

"After them!" Marc shouted. Garrett and I raced down the long hallway towards the wide 'porch' before the first challenge.

But, with a sudden burst of speed, Marc was upon us, kicking me in the back as I sprawled onto the ground, and Moloch slugged Garrett, making him fall beside me.

Then both Marc and Moloch stood; their guns pointed at us. "So, this is the end, for you both!" Moloch said triumphantly; an evil gleam in his eye. "My friend will become the Golden Dragon, and rule the world forever! All will prosper, while you both die in Gehenna!"

I spat on his pant leg. "You filthy bloodsucker!" I shouted. "The Golden Chalice is meant for those who are good and pure!! Drinking from it, for him, would only mean perdition, just as the Obsidian Chalice would do, and I will MAKE SURE he is annihilated, once and for all, alongside both you and Judas!!"

Moloch's face twisted in rage, as he pulled the trigger; the blast making me jerk back onto the floor and squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the excruciating pain, and ultimate death. But just when I expected the bullet to strike, there was a sudden loud sound like a retracting measuring tape, just like on 'Heroes', whenever Sylar, Arthur, or Peter used telekinesis!!

When the feeling of impact, or the pain, never came, I slowly opened my eyes to find the bullet frozen in midair, slowly spinning, six inches from my forehead!!

Marc and his friends were staring in utter disbelief, and I was secretly stunned! If I no longer had any of my powers, how on earth could I have stopped the shot like this?!

Then, a sudden realization came to me. God will work in wonderful ways for those pure of heart and soul, and who seek His guidance. In other words, God had acted His will through me, to save my own life, and Garrett's as well!!

Then, before either Marc or Moloch could react, I willed the bullet to drop to the ground, then swiftly raised my feet, and sprang up, flipping onto my feet, before spinning to slam Moloch with a perfect round kick, sending him flying across the room!! He slammed into the stone wall, and collapsed to the floor, before I spun and leapt, landing a flying back kick to Marc's head, as he flew into the wall beside Moloch!

Landing foot-first, and slowly turning, I walked toward the first challenge, the Breath of God. "Wait here!" I said quietly to Garrett, who nodded.

Chapter V - The Three Challenges

I slowly walked up the steps. "The Breath of God..." I closed my eyes, trying to recall the key, then it came to me. 'The penitent man will pass...!' I remembered how Indiana Jones had known the key to the very same challenge, that I now faced. Glancing sideways slightly, I saw one of the two ferocious-looking stone lions on either side of the steps, exactly like those in 'The Last Crusade'. But despite their frightening appearance, I knew God was with me, which erased any fears I had of what I knew was coming!!

I slowly pushed through the thick cobwebs. "The penitent man will pass. The penitent man..."

As I walked slowly forward, the thick cobwebs began to rustle, as I felt the soft breeze. 'Penitent, penitent. Only the penitent man...!'

I breathed deeply, clenching my fists. "The penitent man is humble before God!" Then I heard the unmistakable distant squealing.

'The penitent man is humble!'

I drew in a slow breath, bracing myself. "He kneels before God...!"

Suddenly there was a loud screeching, but, as if the Hand of God was pushing me, I swiftly kneeled; the horizontal round blade slicing through thin air only a foot above my head, then I dove forward into a roll; the vertical round blade slashing upwards, missing me by only five inches on either side!!!

I rolled once more, then grabbed the rope on the ground, swiftly looped it on one of the notches in the gear wheel, and wrenched backward with all my might!

There was a low squeal as I glanced up, watching the spinning blades slow down, and stop within two inches of each other!!

"I'm through, Garrett!!" I shouted, as he shouted back acknowledgement.

Rising and turning, I reached up to tear open the wall of cobwebs, revealing the second test; a vast floor of stone tiles that were each engraved with a letter, A through Z, just like in the film.

"The second challenge lies in the Word of God. Only in the footsteps of God will he proceed...!" I paused, thinking momentarily.

'To proceed in the footsteps of the Word, every honest Christian must know the name of God...!'

I recalled my Bible readings, and sorted through names, before I suddenly remembered. "The name of God...Jehovah!" However, like Indy's father Henry, I knew it was to be spelled in Latin.

However, I had no way of knowing that Satan had allowed his son Marc to somehow plague the challenge, so that the 'I' that I knew to step on, and the wrong letter, 'J', had been reversed!!!

Taking a deep breath, I stepped, landing on the stone tile engraved with an 'I', in the second row from the entrance, third from the left side, but just as I put my weight on the tile, it broke with ear-splitting loudness, shattering into fragments and sending me falling down into the chasm!!

But, by only the grace of God, was I fast enough to grab the ledge!! As I hung precariously, I glanced down, seeing a massive stone wall supporting the very edges of the vast chasm, and several tall stone pillars I knew supported the correct tiles!! However, straight down below me was a pitch-black abyss that I couldn't guess how deep to be, but didn't want to know anyway!!

I then heard a distant banging and rumbling as the broken fragments of stone from the tile landed somewhere, far, far below!!

Slowly climbing back up out of the hole, I swiftly stepped back onto the solid ledge, then turned forward again.

"Idiot!!" I growled under my breath. "The Latin name of God starts with an 'I!!'"

Stopping momentarily, I glanced back venomously at the doorway, knowing that Marc and his friends were there, but also knew Garrett could stand against them easily.

Then, suddenly, I heard a still small voice in my mind, that I knew was God Himself!!

'This failure was NOT your fault, Charlie!!' He assured me. 'Marc used his father's power to trick you by switching the tiles, but I will NEVER allow any harm to befall either you or Garrett. Both of you will forever be humble in My sight!!'

Then, looking over at the gaping square hole where the false tile had been, I suddenly saw a fiery amber shape flow from its edges, forming the false 'I', but then, just as I expected, the letter slowly formed into its true shape of the false letter 'J'!!!

I then glanced up, seeing a stone tile that had been mysteriously configured to appear blank, just ahead and to the right of the doorway, four letters from the right wall. I stared intently at the blank tile, then muttered, 'Verum revelare!'.

Instantly, several thin amber 'threads' of fire began flowing and swirling over the blank tile, soon transforming it to reveal the true letter to spell out the name of God: 'I', not 'J'!! I slowly crossed the challenge; my memory of Latin serving me well as I correctly spelled out His name, Iehova, just as Indy had, before walking off into the short passage to the third and final trial, which was the true test of a man's courage and faith!!

Looking down, I saw the utter black void of the vast, bottomless depths of the chasm. "The Path of God". I then twisted around to look up at the stone lion head above me.

"Only in the leap from the lion's head, will he prove his worth!"

Back in the temple's front hall, Garrett closed his eyes, sending one thought to me: 'You must believe, Charlie, if you are to take the leap of faith! It is your greatest gift as a Christian, for a man has nothing if not belief!! You. Must. Believe!'

I looked up, then took a deep breath, lifting my right hand to my heart, and closing my eyes.

Then I remembered two of my favourite Bible verses: the first, Joshua 1:9- "I command you, be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!', and the second, Isaiah 40:31- 'But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint."

Opening my eyes again, I exhaled slowly, and waited, before looking up while lifting my left foot, trusting solely in my faith now, and in the unfailing love I knew Jesus held for me, as I did unto Him. I waited for one brief, heart-stopping second, then stepped off, gasping in wonder as I felt my foot land on a solid surface, even though nothing could be seen beneath me but the depths of the chasm!!!

Looking up, I closed my eyes while taking a deep, relieved breath. Opening my eyes again and looking down, I noticed, faintly, that beneath my feet was a clear distortion, as if I was looking down into the abyss through gently-rippling water!!!

I walked slowly along the invisible path, feeling, believing, and knowing, that God was with me now. I then remembered the words of the portrait that my Auntie Janie had made for my father, just before she had died, 'Trust in Him'.

Then another comforting verse, which a stranger who had come to visit my aunt, had given to her, came to me, Isaiah 49:15-16: "Yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands."

It was at that moment that an extraordinary feeling of peace came over me. I knew the Lord was with me, and my friend, and that was all that mattered.

Smiling, I walked to the end of the path, before stepping onto the other ledge. However, I knew that I should not sprinkle any sand onto the invisible bridge, like Indy did, lest Marc or his friends find and cross it.

However, I knew my friend would not need a sign to know that the path was there, for his belief was as strong as my own, allowing him to cross the Path of God without fear of failure!

I also knew that Garrett's humility and faith would allow him to pass the first two challenges without doubt or trepidation, also proving him, as it did me, worthy in the eyes of God.

I then crawled through a short tunnel, emerging into a large cave similar to the one in 'The Last Crusade'. Unlike in the movie, instead of several large flaming basins, there instead was a long kerosene-filled stone trough along the entire length of the cavern wall, set aflame, which provided ample light.

Looking up at the stone wall above the trough, directly opposite the doorway, there was a huge, magnificent engraving of a dragon I instantly recognized as Draco from 'Dragonheart'!!!

Seeing him, I smiled, suddenly feeling warm inside upon remembering how Draco, like his friend Bowen, was a creature of selflessness, humility, wisdom, and above all, honour. 'The worthy man in God's eyes will make a choice that could grant him treasures beyond imagination, for the Bible says that the honest Christian's greatest treasure lies not on Earth, but in Heaven!!'

Chapter VI - Blood of the Dragon

Instead of a long shelf with many different cups, as in the film, there was instead only a short shelf, bearing the three chalices: the Golden Chalice, the Obsidian Chalice, and the Bronze Chalice! There was also a large stone basin just above floor level, but it was empty, as it required human blood instead of water. But both the Golden and Obsidian Chalices each held special power, that could change human blood, so that when drunk, would turn the consumer into the dragon they were within!! But, as I knew, the Bronze Chalice was merely for a victim; its malevolent power capable of changing blood into an unimaginably deadly poison that worked by burning their innards after coursing through their bloodstream, destroying every part of their physical human form, and thus drowning them into unfathomable agony, ultimately ripping a person's soul apart from their physical body!!

Also, unlike in the film, no one guarded the chalices, for it was up to one person alone to make the choice, thus testing them to see if they were worthy. The Golden Chalice was an exact replica of the Royal Dragon Goblet from 'Dark Winter Gifts', aside from being gold instead of red.

I remembered how the Grail in 'The Last Crusade' was a simple wooden cup, amidst many other fancy gold and silver vessels. Yet despite the Golden Dragon Chalice's appearance, I knew that it had been designed that way by Drake himself: a simple, yet elegant vessel. I also realized that the ruby, in a certain way, symbolized blood, as in the blood of Jesus Christ, alongside being symbolic of strength and courage!

The Obsidian Chalice bore striking resemblance to the black Dragon/Gargoyle Celtic Goth Goblet from 'Dark Winter Gifts', while the Bronze Chalice looked much the same, but was a dull brownish-gold, with black onyxes in its base instead of red carnelian stones, yet quite different from the Golden Chalice!!

I knew that the onyx symbolized death; its black sheen seeming to exude a menacing coldness!

Suddenly I heard a sound, turning to see Garrett emerge into the room.

"You will become who I know you are within, Charlie!" he said with a smile. "Take up the Golden Dragon Chalice, my friend, and drink to your, and humanity's, salvation!!"

But then we both heard the sound of a gun cocking, and turned to see Marc, Judas, and Moloch standing side-by-side behind us; Marc aiming the gun at me.

Curtis and Dallas, surprisingly, were not with them, which both Garrett and I surmised was because they'd been killed by wrongly anticipating the keys to each of the three tests.

Curtis, it turned out, had been swiftly beheaded by the Breath of God, while Dallas had failed the second challenge, the Word of God, by wrongly spelling out God's name by the very first letter, as I had, although his fault was due to not knowing how to spell God's name, thus dooming him to die in the rocky chasm beneath the floor!!

Although I knew that he hadn't known, out of ignorance, proving me correct in my adamant belief that Satan 'blinds men's minds'. But Dallas, as well as his other friends, was as evil as Marc himself. I didn't find it surprising at all, therefore, to realize that Satan is occasionally as merciless to his followers, as he is to his enemies.

This was proven to be true in the movie 'Tribulation', when Franco Macalousso, or Satan himself, told Helen Hannah of this, just before killing her.

But, I did not know that God had also tricked Dallas by resealing the tile, so that he couldn't figure out that it was wrong, or that I had found out.

Although, in the back of our minds, both Garrett and I knew that by Satan's power, Marc and his friends had somehow crossed the third challenge. This angered my friend and I to no end, but God reassured us both that He, through us, would deal Marc, Judas, and Moloch one final strike, and destroy them for all eternity!!

Also, Garrett and I, by God's grace, understood the most important factor that would allow us to eternally destroy Satan's connection to humanity:

Satan's five most trusted followers: his son, Marc de Manthaeus, Marc's friends Judas Escarotas, Moloch Machiavelli, Curtis Campbell, and Dallas Smith, served as Satan's sole connection to Earth, wreaking unspeakable havoc through them. Yet, because Marc was Satan's only son, he was given powers of the deepest, darkest evil to have ever existed in the mortal realm. Yet, there were always those who rose against him, but, as Satan uses lies, wishes, pleasures, and human greed to execute evil in this world, he had empowered his son, allowing Marc's dark power to be passed to his friends.

All the evils of the world, including the war in Afghanistan, the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centres, and all the bloodshed in the Middle East, was done by countless men of evil who had been influenced by Satan, through Marc and his friends.

Yet, in all that darkness, light had risen. It first came with Jesus' resurrection after His crucifixion, and many millennia later, was still being spread by not only every Christian, but also through those who were good, pure-hearted, humble, and wise.

And eventually, one would rise up in His Name, to fight for all humanity against Marc, Satan, and all their dark followers, waging wars over millennia.

Yet by God's grace, the One would be kind, loving, humble, and wise, endowed with extraordinary power with which to help humanity in the great battle. Yet he, even with all that power, would be humble, wise, and honest enough to never, ever let that power corrupt him, nor would he become omnipotent, even with all the power at his disposal.

And thus I, Charlie Lucas, had been given the greatest Challenge of all, and also the tools necessary to fight until the very end.

Yet, through a premonition God had sent to me, I would soon lose all my power to Marc, just as Peter Petrelli had lost all his power to his father Arthur.

But, the most important lesson I would ever learn, is that one man may not really need extraordinary power to fight evil, since the Bible teaches that an honest Christian's greatest power lies in their faith, trust, and love of God, and of others.

So, really, the fact that I had lost all my power, as in my special abilities, did not matter at all. My true power, like my friend Garrett's, was in my heart and spirit.

Yet, God would give me a new beginning, by using this entire quest as a catalyst to change me forever, as He would also do for my friend.

"Well, well, here it ends forever!" Marc gloated triumphantly. "I will drink my blood from the Golden Dragon Chalice, and rule the world for all time!!"

Garrett and I stood side-by-side; both our faces masks of hatred, and our eyes burning with malice.

Marc then looked right at me, smiling wickedly. "I'm glad you discovered my father's tampering with the second challenge, Charlie!! Too bad you saw through it, though!" His tone with those last words took on a hint of anger.

I spat at his feet. "You are a blind worm, Marc, if you honestly believed that God would abandon me in a trial such as the determination of His Name!! You won't ever lay your hands on the key to MY salvation, and thus the world's!!" I snarled, then I swiftly spun around, landing a high side kick to Judas' jaw, sending him flying up and back, slamming into the chamber's stone wall, and collapsing to the floor!

I then lunged toward the shelf, grabbing the Golden Chalice, then instinctively spun downward, easily dodging the bullet Marc fired at me, before kicking him in the shins, making him collapse with a scream of agony, but then I heard another shot, and felt agonizing pain sear through my entire body!

Looking down, I saw Marc had shot me in the chest, as blood spilled forth onto the chamber's stone floor like water from a fountain!! Collapsing, I gasped in agony; the Golden Chalice slipping from my grasp and rolling onto the floor!

I felt the dizziness sweep over me, and heard my friend scream my name, distantly. Suddenly Garrett was beside me, cradling my body in his arms. "Charlie!" he shouted. "Please, don't go!!"

Marc, Judas and Moloch all laughed, despite Judas lying against the other wall; blood seeping from his mouth.

As Marc reached for the Golden Dragon Chalice, he was shocked to find it already filled with blood which had flowed into it as it lay on the ground. My own blood!!

As both my friend and Marc watched, my blood flowed upward into the bottom of the Chalice, guided seemingly by a telekinetic force, before slowly filling it; the power of the Chalice seemingly preventing the blood from spilling back out, soon filling it nearly to the rim, where it remained, despite the fact the Chalice still lay on its side!!

Garrett kicked Marc in the head as he reached for it, sending him stumbling back, then he hit his head on the wall, collapsing beside Judas.

My friend stared a hole right through him. "I hope I get to see Charlie choke the life from you, Marc!!" he growled angrily.

"I bet you do, Garrett!" Marc replied icily; an evil grin crossing his face. "But you won't!"

At that moment, Garrett recalled his readings of the Bible when he had been a young child, for like my parents had done for me, his parents had raised him as a Christian.

'As the blood of Christ filled the Holy Grail at the Crucifixion, so the blood of the righteous man shall fill the Golden Dragon Chalice, thus setting him free for all eternity, and allowing God Himself to bestow upon such a man, an unimaginably wonderful gift!'

With this revelation, Garrett turned toward the Golden Dragon Chalice, which had suddenly lifted itself upright, and risen off the ground to hover before my friend, spinning slowly!! Smiling, Garrett reached out and took the chalice; its power preventing any of my blood from spilling back out of it. "Quickly, Charlie!" Garrett whispered, lifting the Golden Dragon Chalice, now filled with my blood, to my lips. "Drink to eternal life, the salvation of humanity, and to blessed redemption!!"

"NO!!" Marc roared, leaping forward to knock the Golden Chalice from Garrett's grip, but was too late. I took the chalice, and downed my blood in two gulps, before dropping it beside me. Somehow, the Golden Dragon Chalice had also changed my blood to taste like sweet, cool glacial water, while not changing the appearance or characteristics of the blood itself, and to me, it was the most wonderful sensation, like sating my thirst after a week of dehydration!!

Although, just before I let go of the chalice, a single blue lightning bolt suddenly flashed over it, coursing over my right hand, tingling gently, before fading away!! Looking down at my right hand, I saw '888' branded into my palm, and smiled, knowing I now, and forever, bore the mark of God; a gift from Him to me for my unfailing faith, strength, and courage throughout this quest!!

I was not afraid to bear 888 upon my right hand, for I knew, as Garrett did, that this was the perfect number, and we both also knew of all of its allusions to Christ Himself, which we both knew was one of His greatest gifts to me!!

Suddenly the chalice trembled, rolled, then spun back upright! Marc tried grabbing it, but screamed in pain as brilliant blue bolts of electricity suddenly flashed over it once again, making him jerk back!! Raising his left hand, he saw Satan's mark, 666, burned into his palm, to remain there forever, similar to how Pontius Pilate's hands were stained by God for giving in to the crowd to put Jesus to death!!! And unlike my acquisition of the mark of God, Marc's gaining of the mark of the beast left his hand all red, burnt, and blistered!!

Ultimately, Marc's acquisition of the mark of the beast, had been almost unbearably painful, even for one split-second, whereas my own acquisition of God's mark had been the complete opposite, like the gentle touch of cool water running over my skin!

Garrett, holding me close, looked at Marc and his friends with sheer malice, but then my brown eyes suddenly blazed fiery amber, before the bullet Marc had shot me with suddenly squeezed itself up out of my wound, falling to the floor; the wound then swiftly and fully healing within seconds, leaving nothing, not even blood, behind!!

"You may have nearly killed me, Marc, but God's will is done regardless!!"

Absolutely blind with rage, Marc knew he had one last chance with the Obsidian Chalice, which still stood upon the stone shelf. Grabbing it, he collapsed onto his side on the floor again, then quickly sliced his left wrist with a penknife that Moloch tossed to him, before squeezing some of his own blood into the Obsidian Chalice, then he downed it, sealing his own fate!!

And Judas had purposely cut himself in order to drink from the Bronze chalice, unknowingly taking the first step toward his own eternal demise, for he thought the Bronze chalice held the same powers as both the Golden and Obsidian chalices, but he was dead wrong!!

Judas suddenly stared in horror as a small orb of fire materialized from within the Bronze Chalice, floating upward to slowly engulf him, before he suddenly let out a horrible scream of agony, as my friend stared in horror at Judas, who was on his knees on the floor between Marc and I; the Bronze Chalice on the floor beside him. As Garrett watched, Judas' body glowed as the fire burned beneath it, then suddenly, it cracked, as pure white light shone out from within, but Garrett knew, as I did, that this light was the power of God, destroying Judas from the inside-out, as we both realized that one of the three chalices was for a victim to consume from, thus turning them into a sort of 'conduit' for the power to be fed into two others, who in turn would become the dragons!!

In short, the Bronze Chalice was merely for sacrificial means, but Judas had been completely ignorant of this, and had paid the price!!! As my friend watched, Judas' skin burst into flames, as brilliant light suddenly shone from his eyes, before the fire completely consumed him; his hands reaching desperately for his friend Marc, but nothing could be done now!! Suddenly 2 large jets of fire blasted out from his burning form, hitting both Marc and I, exactly how the Ark used Belloq as a conduit for its power in order to destroy the Nazis, in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'!!!

Moloch could only stare in horror at his friend, too terrified to scream!!

Judas' reaching hand turned black, as the flames vanished to reveal his skeleton, which suddenly crashed to the ground, shattering and becoming a pile of black ash, with the empty Bronze Chalice on the floor beside it, as my friend stared in utter disbelief!

Suddenly Marc's eyes blazed a fiery demonic red, then both he and I were lifted up off the bloodstained stone floor, as Garrett swiftly stepped back from me!!

He watched, awe-struck, as both Marc and I were surrounded in power; mine being brilliant golden-white, and Marc's fiery orange-red, as the flames swirled around us!!

Even though I couldn't see it happening, or feel anything, I knew that God was curing me of my cerebral palsy, once and for all, alongside working to fully destroy my shunt and the tube, which had kept me alive ever since I was born. But now, I knew that a whole new beginning, free of my disease and its limitations, awaited me!!

After all, there has NEVER been any recorded accounts of a dragon living with an ailment, even such as what I had had throughout my mortal existence. But now, I was free of it, once and for all!

Soon, both our forms began to slowly drift back down to the ground again, as the power faded from around each of us, as Garrett gasped, staring in utter disbelief as he stood between two huge dragons!!!

I bore striking resemblance to Drake from 'Dragonheart: A New Beginning', while Marc resembled the dragon Griffin, the true form of Lord Osric of Crossley, which he had now become!!!

Both Marc and I had transformed into immensely powerful entities, but I was good and pure-hearted, while Marc was the ultimate incarnation of evil itself!! My friend was also surprised to find that Griffin bore Satan's mark, 666, on his left hand, just like Marc had been given, whereas I, Drake, now bore 888, the mark of God, on my right hand!!

I also noticed my silver ring had changed, having grown large enough to comfortably rest on my right index finger, and also, that Griffin's left hand was all scarred and slightly withered; the beast's mark plainly visible on his palm!!

However, neither I nor Garrett were surprised by this, since we knew that those with evil in them who tried to drink from, or even touch, the Golden Dragon Chalice, would suffer unbearable pain, alongside acquisition of Satan's mark, as punishment from God, for trying to use what is meant for good, for any evil actions.

I had become the dragon who had defeated this other before me, from whom, with God's help, I had forged the chalices. Also, at the angel Gabriel's request, I had taken one of my own scales, from which I had forged the Golden Chalice.

Thus, as the theft of Griffin's heart in 'Dragonheart: A New Beginning', had turned him into a man, the sacrifice of one single scale to forge the Golden Dragon Chalice had turned me into a man, but drinking my blood from the chalice had finally restored me to my true form, after almost a thousand years, as the Obsidian Chalice had for Marc, who was actually Griffin himself!!

Moloch suddenly ran at Garrett, but my friend was quick, spinning to land a high round kick to his head, sending him flying into the wall!

Griffin roared, as I snarled back, then he lunged at me, but I swiftly opened my tail-spike, driving it into Griffin's breast!! He roared in agony, then I lunged into the air, breaking easily through the massive stone ceiling, and soaring into the evening sky!!

Chapter VII - The Final Battle

Griffin snarled, and took off after me; Garrett watching in sheer disbelief as we battled in the air, clawing, slashing, and biting at one another, before I shoved him off of me, then he blasted a massive fireball, which I easily dodged, as it slammed into the desert sand, and exploded!!

I spun as I lashed my tail, slicing his left arm, then blasted him with a massive jet of flame, as he roared in agony, blinded by the brilliant glow, the heat, and the searing pain!!

Unable to take the heat, Griffin rapidly spun out of reach of the jet, as I stopped, spinning toward him.

"Is that the best you've got, Drake?" he laughed, as I growled menacingly.

"No, Griffin!" I roared. "I have even better!" Raising my right hand, I clenched it into a tight fist. Garrett gasped, watching as Griffin suddenly roared in agony, clutching his breast as a searing pain shot through his body!!

It felt like a thousand knives were stabbing him all over as he writhed and roared in midair, then, blinded by the agony, Griffin unleashed a massive jet of flame, which erratically spread in every direction, but as it flared toward me, I focused; my eyes glowing as the fire suddenly seemed to 'roll' on an invisible shield, harmlessly arcing around me!!

Garrett watched, stunned, as I easily deflected Griffin's fire, then as I released my power, he stopped, jerking up and spinning toward me.

As he shot toward me to try and drive me earthward, I suddenly spun past his grip, and folded my wings, diving like an arrow!!

My friend, and Moloch as well, both had ample time to run to safety as both Griffin and I slammed onto the floor of the cave, then he tried to pin me down, but I rolled, and kicked him in the chest as hard as I could with my hind feet!

He roared as my talons pierced his scales like thin glass, and the power behind my sudden kick sent him careening skyward, as he thrust open his massive wings to slow himself down!!

Griffin then shot one final, colossal jet of flame straight down at us both, but I swiftly thrust my right hand out; the gemstone in my silver ring blazing blue as the noonday sky as the fire was deflected, flashing outwards into a fiery plume a foot from my hand; a telekinetic force seemingly holding back the flame almost effortlessly!!

Then, when Griffin least expected it, I clenched my hand into a fist; the fire suddenly reflecting right back at him, slamming into his head as he roared in agony; the force hurling him backward, up into the sky, before he once again used his wings to stop himself, and regain balance.

Then suddenly, the mark upon his hand, 666, began glowing with fire, outlining it in an eerie red light, before Griffin clapped his hands together hard, and spread them wide again, only now, Garrett and I both saw he bore a bright red fireball in either hand!! His ice-blue eyes then began to darken and dilate, soon becoming jet-black, exactly how Jean Grey's eyes did whenever she manifested as the Dark Phoenix in 'X-Men: The Last Stand'!!

Looking down at Garrett and I, Griffin laughed insanely, followed by a victorious roar!

"YOU BOTH WILL DIE TONIGHT, AND I WILL RULE THE WORLD!"

But I stared up at him defiantly. "No, Griffin, you won't!" I replied. "God will, as He always has!! The world He created will never be ruled by a depraved, godless entity such as you!!"

"Really, Drake?" Moloch scoffed. "Will He really rule instead of Griffin?" I ignored him, instead using my telekinesis to seize Moloch's muscles, making him collapse to the ground with a scream of agony!!

Griffin's eyes suddenly widened, but before he could react, I inhaled, then blasted a thin but extremely powerful ice jet straight at him!

"ICE??!!" Griffin roared in shock! "THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, DRAKE!! HOW DID YOU...?!?"

I glared at him coldly. "Does it really matter, Griffin?" I snarled. "All I know, is that you're getting what you deserve from me!!"

He didn't even have time to think before it slammed into him with the force of a thousand bullets; his skin and scales rapidly fading from red to greyish-black, which was a sign that his power was rapidly weakening!!

As we watched, Griffin threw back his head and roared in agony; brilliant bolts of electricity suddenly blazing over him, having formed due to the extreme stress that my ice put on his body, because he was only able to generate fire, and had done so for his entire existence, never having learned to control ice, as I had!!

The formation was triggered by my ice having disrupted the part of Griffin's brain that allowed him control over the parts of his body necessary to generate fire, and since the brains of all mammals are, literally, powered by electrical impulses from nerves, my ice had short-circuited his brain, which was the reason he was now being electrified alive!!

Also, since ice at a powerful enough level is able to overcome fire, my ice breath was in a way, linked to God's power of healing and renewal, whereas Griffin's fire was linked to Satan himself, and to death and destruction!!

Griffin continued roaring and writhing as he was electrocuted, but managed to spin toward and look down at Garrett and I.

"NO!!!" He roared madly, blinded by pain. "I will not die, and I am no godless entity! I will rule, I WILL RULE!!"

In a last ditch effort, Griffin tried to conjure intense internal heat, but the power of my ice was so strong, and the electricity so debilitating, that it was futile!

With his few last breaths, Griffin roared. "CURSE YOU, DRAKE! I CURSE BOTH YOU AND GARRETT! MAY YOU BOTH BE ACCURSED BY MY FATHER FOREVER!!"

A vicious snarl twisted my dragon muzzle, as I spat at him. "NO, GRIFFIN!" I roared back. "MAY YOU BE THE ONE WHO IS FOREDOOMED!!"

With one last agonized roar, Griffin the dragon stiffened his body; the electric bolts suddenly flashing out, before he froze solid, and fell from the sky like a stone!

Both Garrett and I spun away to shield ourselves from the deadly missiles of ice that sprayed everywhere when Griffin's body shattered completely on impact with the stone floor!!

I waited a few seconds, then slowly raised myself up from crouching. Looking around, I saw hundreds of ice chunks, all shapes and sizes, scattered across the cavern floor, and some were even impaled into the stone walls due to their sheer velocity when Griffin had shattered!

By now, some of them were dripping water, slowly beginning to melt in the nighttime heat!

An eagerness came over me as I realized Garrett and I, together, had once and for all vanquished the greatest evil the world had ever known!! And I knew it was indeed the beginning of eternal peace. Moloch may have still been alive, but now, he could never be thought of as a threat to what Garrett and I had given the world. After all, even if he was evil, Moloch was just a pitiful, worthless human mortal, hardly worth worrying over.

"Garrett, we made it!!" I said excitedly, glancing around for him, but when he didn't answer, I became worried. "Garrett...?"

Unfortunately, as I glanced over to my left, I saw my friend's lifeless body nearby; a spearlike shard of ice impaled in his heart!!!

Chapter VIII - Dragonheart

"No...!" I gasped, rushing over to him, quickly and easily tugging the ice shard out of his chest, throwing it aside. "Garrett!" I gently shook him, but he didn't move, or respond. I closed my eyes, several diamond tears falling suddenly as I choked back a sob! "Garrett, please...!!" I whispered desperately, resting a gentle hand on his head.

But my friend was gone. I slowly walked into the bright glow of the full moon, and looked up at it, my diamond tears continuing to fall, but then, as I glanced to the north, I saw the 17 stars forming the unmistakeable shape of the constellation Draco, and as I watched, the star I recognized as Eltanin, in Draco's eye, suddenly blazed brilliantly, shining like a white lighthouse beacon, as my heart surged with hope.

'I just might be able to save him!' I thought with a smile.

Turning, I walked back to Garrett. I then reached up, and lifted my breast scales, as the loud, strong beat of my dragon heart echoed across the cavern, exactly like Draco's heartbeat, and the fiery golden-amber glow lit up the cavern!!

"Half my heart to make you whole, and its strength to purify your weakness!"

I carefully slit open the skin, and removed half my heart, which glowed with a brilliant golden-white light, before placing it slowly into my friend's chest wound, as it flashed; the mark on my hand glowing brilliant golden-white, and the gemstone in my silver ring blazing brightly! I lifted my hand away as the wound slowly dimmed, like a glowing golden ember, as my mark faded to normal, then Garrett slowly started to move again, as his eyes slowly opened, and he breathed deeply!!

"Wh-what happened?" he asked weakly, looking down at his chest, reaching up to feel the scabbed over wound. "My heart hurts!"

I smiled. "You mean, our heart hurts, Garrett!" He looked up at me, as I smiled warmly. "But it won't feel this bad forever!" I helped him up, as he smiled through tears of joy, and we hugged each other. I knew that Garrett knew that he and I were now brothers, forever!!

Turning toward the Golden Chalice, I looked at it, marvelling at how God had used such a simple, yet beautiful, object to change me into my true self. I knew that the Golden Chalice, like I had told Moloch, could only work its true power on those who, like Garrett and I, were good and pure of heart.

I noticed my friend staring at the Golden Chalice thoughtfully, and put a hand on his shoulder. "What if...!" he started. I knew what he was considering, and smiled.

"If this is what you want, Garrett, then it is your choice!"

Using my newfound powers, I read not only his mind, but his heart as well, and saw for myself his humility, goodness, and purity. Garrett understood well the consequence if he made this choice, and in his heart asked Jesus if it was what He willed.

Suddenly, the immortal words of Babe Ruth, from the movie 'The Sandlot', which Garrett had seen many times before, echoed in his mind:

'There are heroes, and there are legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die! Follow your heart, and you'll never go wrong!'

Garrett smiled to himself, and turned to me. "I have made my choice, Drake!" I smiled, as we hugged each other. My friend then turned, removing a small penknife from his belt.

"NOT YOU TOO, GARRETT!!" Moloch roared, running toward my friend, but a simple yet swift round kick left him knocked out on the ground again!

My friend then sliced his right hand, squeezing the blood into the Golden Chalice, before quickly drinking it.

For a few seconds, nothing happened, then Garrett suddenly collapsed to his knees, hunching over; the Golden Chalice slipping from his hand and dropping to the floor!

"Garrett...?" I started, but then, suddenly, bright golden slashes raked down both his arms, and across his back and chest, as bright golden light and dust flowed out, sweeping around him in a cloud, very similar to the mystic sand whenever it was unleashed from the golden dagger in 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time'!!

I suddenly gasped, staggering back slightly as I reached up to clutch my breast, feeling my heart begin to regenerate, becoming whole once more!!

I knew without Garrett telling me, that the part of my heart I had given him was now regenerating within him as well, thus giving him a new dragon heart!!

I watched, smiling, as my friend flung his arms wide open as he floated up off the ground; the golden light brightening as I saw my friend begin to transform, gradually becoming a huge, strong dragon similar to Griffin, but pure-hearted and humble like I was!!

Soon, the power began to slowly fade away, as Garrett, now a magnificent Eastern dragon, slowly floated to the ground again, coming to rest gently on his side on the floor!!

I walked up to him, laying a hand on his side. Slowly, his eyes, now brilliant icy blue and slit like a dragon's, fluttered open, as he looked up to see me smiling at him!

"Welcome back, my old friend!" I said happily, as Garrett smiled, lifting himself up. Looking himself over, he found that he was mostly like Griffin had been, and he was definitely bigger and older-looking than I was, but his scales were more of a golden sheen instead of red, and his deep ice-blue eyes were kind and gentle.

Garrett also noticed his voice was much deeper, yet softer and kinder, and like me, he also bore God's mark, 888, except his was on the back of his right hand, whereas mine was on my palm!! "It's good to see you again, Drake!" he said, as we embraced, now truly brothers!

Turning toward the Golden Chalice, I fired a quick puff of ice at it, as it froze solid, then shattered, gone forever!!

Suddenly we both heard shuffling sounds, and saw Moloch had once again gotten back up, then, screaming, he charged; madness guiding him as he sought to try and stop us.

I could have thrown back my head in laughter, but instead just grinned, as did Garrett!

'What a fool this pitiful mortal is!!' I thought.

Moloch raised his knife as he closed in, but I suddenly glanced up, looking him right in the eyes, before my own eyes narrowed, then he stopped, and collapsed to his knees, gasping as he dropped the knife, reaching up to clutch his chest!

Managing to pry open his eyes and glance up at Garrett and I, Moloch's face twisted in sheer rage. "You...will...both...pay!!" he managed to grunt between gasps.

But we both grinned. "No Moloch, YOU will, for all eternity!!" I replied coldly, before I slowly lifted my right hand from my side, and formed it into a claw; my telekinesis causing the stone in my silver ring to glow, before an icy blue pulse of power flashed out of it, striking Moloch in the chest and making his heart explode, as he suddenly vomited a large amount of blood, before collapsing to the ground, dead!!!

I scoffed. "Such a lowly, pitiful mortal! May he burn in Gehenna!"

I also sent the Obsidian and Bronze Chalices into the chasm beneath the Path of God, where they were both lost forever, as well as telekinetically shattering the stone basin and throwing the fragments down the chasm as well. I then let my friend use his power to move and throw Moloch's body into the chasm, thus erasing all evidence for the blood-soaked stone in the temple! Thus, no man was ever able to learn the truth of what happened here, nor deduce what had happened!

Smiling at each other, Garrett and I embraced fondly once more, before we slowly spread our huge wings, and took off, flying up out of the underground chamber, soaring high above Petra and leaving the city behind forever.

Suddenly hearing distant whinnying, we both glanced back to see our horses galloping together out of Al-Siq, running away across the desert, and we both smiled, glad that they were free.

We then both turned eastward, and flew together towards the rising sun; the blue stone in my ring blazing brilliantly as the silver gleamed!

"What now, Drake?" my friend asked, as I looked over at him, and smiled.

"We can go wherever the wind takes us, Garrett, and live, until humanity is ready for our return, and until then, they will thrive and prosper in unimaginable ways!!"

And with that, Garrett and I were gone, never again to return to Petra. As we both flew away, I gradually came to realize that God had planned this destiny for me, to lead me to Petra, to befriend Garrett, and for us to help each other defeat evil. Now knowing that God had used the Golden Dragon Chalice to save us, was a revelation that would inspire both Garrett and I forever, and we both knew that God Himself had bestowed upon us a great and wonderful benediction. We went on to live happily in the mountains and wide open country, and always remembered how we, through the power of God, had worked together to save the world!!


The End!