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"I do not regret this." The Embodiment of Earth said with his gravely voice. He stood with arms folded behind his back in this new form he had chosen for himself, human in appearance with short hair and a trimmed beard on his square jaw made of thin strands of moss. He wore a simple leather wrap around his waist, studded with metal bolts and gemstones. His cold, stone gray eyes fixated upon the withered mother tree still oozing black rot and the stench of death. Corpses littered the ground around it in various states of decay, petrified and hacked at by stone replicas of men with stocky, exageratedly thick features. "They brought this upon themselves."
The Embodiments of Life and Death stood behind him, perched upon a fallen tree branch untainted by the rot in the form of twin micro dragons, wyvern in appearance, no taller than two feet, one black and one white. "It is not their fault," The white one said with a feminine voice.
"You are punishing a whole race for the actions of one." The black one lamented with a soft, masculine voice, "Death should not be taken lightly by any of us."
"You will not sway me from my course." Earth replied, resolve steeled against the two affected most. "They nearly destroyed the entire world. Their lives are insignificant against that."
"One nearly destroyed the world," Life replied, voice stern, "One who warped many to his whim corrupting our energies."
"One who I cannot touch," Death lifted his head, silver eyes fixated upon the back of Earth, "One who as we speak is being felled by those who took up the call to fight."
"If you cannot touch him, then he cannot be felled." Earth replied, "And those who have not yet fallen to the rot will see this immortality, then seek it themselves. He will tell them how, for oaths of fealty-"
"We may not be able to return his soul to the cycle, but that does not mean he cannot be defeated," Life interrupted, "Hope is not lost, yet you act as if this world is doomed."
"I see," Earth's lips cracked into a smile, "In the end, it is my own power that can deal with him."
Life and Death took flight from the branch as one, then Circled earth opposite each other in their flight. "You will come to regret this day, father," They spoke in unison, "For your interference has shifted the balance of power for all worlds."
"We shall collect the heroes ourselves." Death weeped, "And return their souls to the world anew ourselves" Life cried. And with one final lamenting roar, the pair were gone. Off to collect the souls of the dead from their petrified corpses.
"Do as you must, children." Earth closed his eyes, then opened them again. He stood in the air, overlooking the 'floating' island of Fir'Tan. Below, stone spread across the body of the undead dragon. As hard as he fought and struggled, he was no match for the combined efforts of the six who stood against him. Petrification... the only way to seal away the lich. His soul would remain bound to his body. But what would stop anyone from freeing him? Earth watched as Death moved between each of the six's petrfied forms. Brilliant white flames emerged from the bodies, absorbed into his wings. He always looked like a night sky from below. Life remained with him, supporting him as she always did. Twins, inseperable, a cycle of life and death that could only continue on with the extermination of this threat.
Fir'Tan's voice rang out, indignent and enraged as he was frozen and left behind by the twins. Yes. Someone would hear his cries, free him, and the conquest would begin anew. "I will not regret this, ever." Earth reached out a hand. "All dragons will be purged from all worlds, before they can do this again. Their greed is their own undoing." He curled his hand, as if wrapping it around an object. He could feel the pillar of the anchor as if it was in his hand. With a quick motion, the pillar snapped and the island crashed to the waves below. But that alone would not do, not with aquatic beings having access to them. He slammed his hands down in front of him, palms down. He curled his fingers and pulled, as if prying apart a stubborn stone. The world below shook and trembled before his might. Stone and sand gave way, a chasm ripped into the ocean bed. The island broke apart as it tumbled through the chasm, and finally, Fir'Tan was silenced.
"I will not regret this." Earth said once more, sorrow filling his voice. "Why could you not have been happy with what you had." He hung his head, a single tear rolled down his cheek.
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