"What? You—" it hissed in a deep voice. Phac could only watch in surprise. "You can’t do this!"

  "Goodbye, Asphel. May you rot in Hell forever."

  Reginald grabbed both ends of the little snake, and with a tug, tore it into two. He threw the two halves of the snake’s corpse away, letting them fall to the square below. They were nothing now, simply flesh and blood.

  At the same time, his veil of darkness fluctuated, and Phac frowned. Reginald was losing control of his power. It was escaping his grasp. In mere moments, he would be unable to move and most probably be dead.

  What was he doing? And why?

  The Guildmaster raised his head to stare right at Phac, his eyes filled with madness. His once perfect teeth were now stained with black blood, and they parted to utter bitter words.

  "I hate you so, so much…"

  The darkness around his body was escaping, dissolving, but it suddenly stopped. Instead, it began to recede, revealing Reginald’s black-blood-stained body, his once pristine white robes now in tatters, his hair disheveled, his face a twisted mask.

  "Why did you have to exist?" he spat out. "You took everything from me. Everything! I tried my best! I did everything right!"

  The darkness receded from the surface of his body and entered it through his chest. Through his soul sense, Phac could see it. The darkness was quickly seeping into Reginald’s soul, inside the fabric of colors and shapes, filling it. Bloating it. Stretching it to its limits, but there was still more darkness. Much more. Both his soul and body were already cracking, unable to contain the power within.

  Phac’s eyes widened as he realized what Reginald was doing.

  "No…"

  Reginald smiled, showing off his blood-stained teeth as he willed his body to descend back toward Dawn Square at a speed much faster than what Phac could achieve.

  "I will save the world, Phac. No matter what. I win."

  Time slowed down to a halt. Phac’s soul sense swiped over the city below, detecting the many familiar souls. They were all there, in Dawn Square or close to it, as were thousands of people. Reginald’s body was going to explode in the middle of everything, and that explosion would destroy half the Higher District and kill thousands, including the people he cared about. Ximea was farther away, so she might survive, but Neville was right where Reginald was falling, standing with the orcs who had just burned their blood to help him and the crabs who believed in him.

  And Phac could only watch. There was nothing he could do. Reginald would get his bloody death count.

  No. There is something.

  He crossed eyes with Hero, and she understood. Her small eyes took the most humane expression Phac had ever seen on her. He could hear her thoughts. It pained her. She agreed.

  In an instant, the remaining half of Phac’s soul ignited completely, bursting from a timid hearth into a towering, roaring bonfire. Power filled his limbs even as all that he was disappeared into smoke, and he flew down so quickly that the air boomed behind him.

  He fell on Reginald, holding on tightly and diverting his course, heading right for the hole that his body had previously made on the sun sculpture at the top of Dawn Tower. He wouldn’t let Reginald land on Dawn Square and kill everyone. No matter what.

  Reginald’s eyes changed, and the bliss of martyrdom inside them turned into despair and hatred. He used what little power he had left to strike at Phac, denting his armor, breaking his limbs, but the Crab Messiah ignored it all as he carried Reginald inside the top of the Dawn Tower. They flew together and disappeared behind a metal shield.

  There were so many things Phac had to live for. He wanted to experience a Salom free of war. He wanted to laugh with his friends again. He wanted to live without worrying about his life every day. He wanted to feel the morning sun on his skin, the swaying green grass under his back, the afternoon breeze on his face.

  He wanted to take some time and do all those things he never found the time for. He still hadn’t met mermaids. He still hadn’t revisited the crab nest he woke up on, where he fought the Crab King of the beach. He still hadn’t taken his time with Hero, understanding her and their soul-bound relationship.

  There was a child inside Ximea’s belly; his child. He wanted to stay by her side, be a father, help the child grow into a person worthy of his pride. He wanted to tell it stories about his adventures and watch its eyes widen in admiration. He wanted his child to grow up with a father.

  He wanted to live a long, happy life, to reap the fruits of his labor. He wanted to be happy.

  If Reginald exploded in the middle of Dawn Square and killed thousands, he could still do all of those. But he just couldn’t let that happen.

  Oreg’s words passed through his mind. During his Class evolution, he had asked the orc why he’d sacrificed himself when he had so much to live for, just to save someone he barely knew. Oreg had responded that he had no choice, but Phac thought he did.

  Now, he understood.

  I see now, my friend… You knew better. Goodbye, crabs. I’m sorry I wasn’t the messiah you were looking for. Goodbye, Hero. I’m sorry for taking you with me, I’m sorry for betraying your trust.

  Goodbye, Ximea. Goodbye, my child. May you grow strong and happy, even without me. May you know that I love you.

  In his final moments, Phac was satisfied. He would have liked to stay longer, but his time had come, and he accepted its calling. He went into the night exactly as he wanted to, remaining true to himself until the very end. And he would do it all over again if he had to. After all, he did not live to die. He died to live.

  It was a good life.

  Phac and Reginald dived together into the sun sculpture forged of iron, and Hero jumped after them, following her companion to the last moment. Her soul was calm; she was thanking him for everything, forgiving him. Phac closed his eyes. Reginald screamed.

  The sun sculpture, the symbol and pride of Salom, exploded in an enormous blast of shadows that covered the sky above Dawn Square. Blackened, yellow iron was thrown everywhere across Salom, lodging itself deep in house walls, roofs, and streets.

  Miraculously, not a single person was hurt. They were safe. They were saved by Phac, the Crab Fighter, a man greater than they deserved.

  An ordinary man who simply did his best.

  EPILOGUE

  Nick never woke up that night; his heart had stopped. However, when he was found, he was smiling because he died happy; he went exactly as he wanted to.

  Without even knowing who he was, many people cried for him that morning. They cried for the alcoholic, violent sailor in a basement, a person greater than they would ever be.

  Gregory went insane. Last night, he had arranged to meet Nick at Smelt because he was planning to kill him, as he had realized that Nick was with the half-bloods. That was why he carried a knife, the same knife that Nick had once used to kill another sailor. Gregory had then asked for the knife, out of curiosity, and Nick had gifted it to him, but with a warning. He’d called this knife cursed, saying that whoever owned it always used it to take a life. Gregory didn’t believe this, of course; he didn’t believe in superstitions.

  That night, Gregory didn’t want to risk his victory, not even for one warrior. He really was planning to kill Nick, but when push came to shove, he had hesitated. He didn’t want to kill his only real friend and told himself that, ever since everything began, he hadn’t hesitated once, never taken a single break. He deserved one small respite, one small weakness. The tiniest misstep.

  However, the fried crab recipe that Phac had mentioned atop Dawn Tower was the one that Susan, the owner of Smelt, used. Only her. And the only others that knew of this recipe were Nick and Gregory, as she’d confessed it one rainy night.

  When Reginald died, Gregory awoke briefly, his heart already stopping. He deduced Nick’s Peras identity in a split-second, and when he did, he understood the weight of that one small weakness he’d allowed himself, his single tiniest, most innocent flaw.

  "Curse the fates! Curse the unfair world!" was what Gregory had shouted out in the middle of the night before using Nick’s knife to take his own life. He died of blood loss before his heart stopped. Perhaps the knife really was cursed, or perhaps it was not. Nobody would ever know, except perhaps for its next owner, a dark-skinned sailor from Djibouti.

  After the battle of Salom was over, things calmed down on the island. The half-bloods had triumphed, and cries of joy filled the streets, sung by people whose eyes carried tears of happiness. The war was over, and it had been won. They would live.

  They took mercy on the purists, a mercy they perhaps did not deserve. They were banished to the plains of the island and would live there for the next few months, until they could depart Dawn Island altogether.

  The Dawn Herald, the primordial turtle sleeping below the island, did not awaken. After the war, the total death count was estimated to be just around ten thousand. Perhaps this was the reason, or perhaps the Dawn Beast would never awaken at this time, to begin with. In any case, the people of Dawn Island, riddled with war and hatred, chose to abandon the island and move to the mainland.

  There, they would begin anew, in a city suitably called New Dawn. The purists would also migrate to different parts of the world, scattering to the four winds, even though their existence itself was a blight. Hopefully, given time, their hearts would heal. Besides sparing them, there was no other choice that the half-bloods and their friends were willing to make.

  The process of migrating was slow. The ships were few, and the mainland was far away, but little by little, things were advancing. People were moving on.

  Phac’s loss was mourned by the entire island. He had saved many lives, too many to count. He was recognized as the greatest man to ever set foot on Dawn Island, and, when the dust of war settled, the people mourned him for three days straight. He was buried without a body, as no remains were found after the explosion of Dawn Tower, but the location of his tombstone wasn’t publicly disclosed.

  In the echo of the war he had caused, Reginald was blamed and forgotten, lost without honors. Only some of his closest followers and friends dared to mourn him in secret, those few who had been with him since the beginning and shared his views. They built a tombstone in the mountains, atop a cliff nobody could easily access, so it wouldn’t be found and destroyed.

  Reginald died a sinner.

  One day, the wind gently blew through the leaves, ruffling them in tune with the chirping of birds. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the animals were quiet. The forest was peaceful today.

  In a small clearing somewhere inside the Evergreen Forest, two stone tablets, two tombstones, stood side by side. There was also a third one, smaller, placed next to one of the other two.

  Here lies Oreg, son of Grul. May his soul find rest in the Fertile Lands.

  A warrior who died as he lived; with honor.

  Here lies Phac, the Savior of Dawn, the Crab Fighter, the Crab Messiah. May his soul find rest.

  A man who gave his life to save everyone. A true hero to us all.

  Here lies Hero, the bravest crab the world has ever seen. May her soul be ever shiny.

  A companion greater than anyone has ever deserved.

  In front of the tombstones, three men sat on the grass. Neville, Rain, and Otto. Each held a cup of wine, drinking, and a full cup was also placed before each grave.

  "It’s already been nine months, huh…" Rain took a sip. "How time flies."

  "We are here to say goodbye, Phac." Neville forced himself to smile. Phac’s death had hurt the young Hero more than almost anyone else. "The last batch of people are leaving for the mainland, and we are with them… We cannot stay any longer…"

  Otto placed a big hand on the man’s shoulder. "Neville, no feel bad. Phac understand. He good man."

  Rain turned to the tombstone. "We don’t want to leave you alone, so…we will build another grave for you near New Dawn. We figured you’d like that, as that town contains the people you sacrificed yourself to save. And besides, you have Oreg, Hero, and the crabs here to keep you company."

  A few moments of silence passed, the three men contemplating in silence, drinking with each other as they had once done in an orc tribe, so long ago.

  "Ximea never told you, but she loved you. She wanted to be here today too," Rain spoke up again, "but childbirth is a bitch, apparently. She can barely move now, but at least they’re both safe. You have a beautiful baby girl, man. Ximea wants to name her Mera. A good name."

  "Baby so small." Otto nodded in amazement. "It fit in one Otto palm!"

  "That’s because you’re too big." Neville laughed slightly. The young man had matured a lot, both before, during, and after the war. He was not a young man anymore. He was a man, and a great one. "She is more than two Neville palms big."

  "How big do you think your baby’s going to be, Otto?" Rain grinned at him. "Egna’s belly is growing every day."

  At this, the half-orc managed to somehow turn red from green. "Otto baby very big! Because Otto is big!"

  They laughed, and Neville turned toward Oreg’s tombstone.

  "You hear that, Oreg? You’re about to become a grandpa, and your daughter married the strongest half-orc ever. How cool is that?"

  "I’m sure he’d be happy, even if I never met him in person." Rain smiled bittersweetly, once again turning to Phac’s tombstone. "Meadow and I… Well, we’re finally together. Some things are not fixed yet and maybe never will be, but…we believe it’s worth trying."

  "She good girl." Otto nodded. "Bit stupid, but good girl."

  They laughed again, their laughter echoing through the leaves. But the sun was beginning to set, and they had to leave. They ought to be back by nightfall or the ship would have trouble leaving the port.

  "Goodbye, Phac," said Rain, standing up. "We’ll speak again in a few weeks, once we reach the mainland. You’re the goddamn best man I’ve ever known. Goodbye to you too, Hero. I’ll make sure to bring you lots of shinies next time."

  "Without you, I would be nothing." Neville stared at the tombstone, bowing down to it until his forehead touched the grass. The others watched, smiling. "It is thanks to you that I can be who I am. You taught me how to live. Thank you, Phac. Thank you for everything."

  "Otto miss you…" said Otto, forcing a smile. "You great, but…Otto miss you… Thanks, Phac. One day, Otto learn to speak well, and then Otto come speak to you again. If not you, Otto still be living in dark sewers, eating rats. You gave Otto everything. You great man."

  He then turned to Oreg’s tombstone. "Father-in-law… Otto love Egna. Never leave her. Always care for her, protect her. Otto be best man ever because Egna best woman ever. So, father-in-law, from fertile lands... Please bless Otto."

  A gentle breeze ruffled his clothes, and the leaves danced lightly. Otto smiled.

  "Indirectly, we all owe our lives to you too, Oreg," said Neville. "So, thank you. For everything. We leave you both in great company—all three of you, actually."

  Rain smiled. His eyes were moist. Neville and Otto’s were too. "He died a happy man. He left exactly as he wanted, at the greatest he’s ever been. That is how we will always remember him. He is smiling now, proud of himself; I know that. And we are proud of him too."

  The three men left, silently wading through the trees, trying not to disturb them. Behind them, placed in front of the tombstones, were five full cups of wine, a filled bottlecap, and a bottle. And the family of white foxes that made their house around this clearing would make sure that no animal could touch them for a long, long time to come.

  The ships left the harbor, carrying the last people away from the island. Dawn Island, with its town, villages, and tribes, would henceforth become a ghost island.

  But only for people. Some crabs had decided to remain on the island, their home, while others followed the people to the mainland. Those who left would soon spread new knowledge among the world’s crab-kind, about how humans and other races were not just prey or predators, but could be good friends too.

  In the coming years, this knowledge would spread across the world, reaching even the continent of Carnicia, where the crab-folk made their homes. There, the legend of the Crab Fighter would be known, and the Crab Messiah would be worshipped. And when, years later, a young and ignorant prince landed on the shores of this continent and was captured, the crab-folk will spare his life in honor of the Crab Fighter.

  That, in turn, will save the crab-folk from being hunted down by that boy’s father and his kingdom, and allow them to develop trade relations with the neighboring continents.

  Like this, Phac really was a messiah of crab-kind, even if he himself never truly accepted the title. The Crab God smiled from above, and his smile was bittersweet.

  The crabs that chose to remain would eventually occupy the entire island. The Dawn Beast would not awaken for many years to come. And when this island, lost in the middle of the ocean, was rediscovered decades later, it would be given a new name.

  The Crab Island.

  The kobolds had left months ago after discovering a new way to produce fuel from plant matter, riding their airship into new lands and adventures.

  As for the people of Dawn Island, they established New Dawn, a city at the outskirts of the Mavin Kingdom, which later flourished.

  Not everyone remained there. Otto brought his tribe north, seeking a new fate for them. He eventually grew as the Champion of the War God, leading himself and his people to great heights.

  Rain and Meadow left New Dawn soon after they arrived. There was nothing there for them anymore. They donned cloaks and set out in search of a new life. Later, they would establish an academy renowned throughout the kingdoms, but that’s another story.

  Neville, too, left New Dawn to seek adventure. Heroes could not bloom in a place of peace. He would go on to become a hero greater than any others, but this, too, is another story.