I have struggled to climb this spire for what seems like days. At last, I see my goal nearing. Above me perches the old man/bird. He's squawking and crowing and looking rather self-satisfied with this chaos that he has created. I grab him with my beak and begin to struggle.
Stop this madness! Your games are cruel and unnecessary!
I cannot stop what I have not begun, little one. These events are solely your doing and none of my mine. And behold the consequences of your actions. Your friends will be mine. There is nothing that you can do to stop it from happening. BEHOLD!
With that, he grasped me with his claws and flew towards the village where I could see the havoc that continued unabated. The elephants could not be subdued by any force of man. Blue was struggling to stay above the moirass, Dreamwalker struggled in vain to subdue the matriarch, Alain was desperately trying to repel the elephants from Kunax's comatose form. (Sorry, Kunax. Didn't mean to offend you by knocking you unconscious.
Akkido is a devastating martial art. Have you ever seen it in action?) The village was in emminent danger of being overwhelmed. I could see that the trees about the village were full of sylvan folk who cheered and jeered as the chaos continued.
Stop this!! I demand once more.
I can stop nothing, only you can stop it. For it is you who have created this play.
Suddenly, a lightning flash of inspiration struck me. I knew what it was that I must do. It was there the whole time, I just refused to see. There was only one way to save my friends, only one way to stop this madness.
Then, I shall stop it. For, although I have been imprisoned with this frail form, I am a man! I savagely bit at my captors feet. Struggling to release his grip. I began to feel a strange shifting about my form. As his grip relaxed and I began to fall, I felt myself become a man once more.
What are you doing? You cannot do this! You cannot allow yourself to end this way!
"I am a man and I decide my own fate! You cannot claim your wager if I no longer exist. They are my friends and if I die then they become my mourners! Foul demon! I deny you!!"
I plummeted towards the earth, gaining speed each instant. As the ground rushed towards me, I clearly saw that the sylvan host had ceased their jeering. I saw that the elephants had ceased their rampage. I saw that my friends were allowed a respite in their struggles. All looked up towards me as I fell. All had a look of shock burned upon their faces. I fell. As a star falling from heaven I fell. The ground drawing closer, ever closer.
Nooooooooo!!, cried the old man bereft of his prize.
"I'm sorry, Blue..." I whispered in that last instant before the ground grasped me. A sickening feeling of breaking overwhelmed my senses. My vision became red. My vision became black. My vision became blue...
A hush has fallen over the village. All in the village gather around the mangled form of Nexus as it lies twisted and bloody upon the ground. Strangely, there seems to be a smile upon his face. He gurgles as he struggles to breathe, as his body refuses to allow the end to overtake him. Blue cries hysterically, "No, no, no, no." As she draws close to his crushed form, she realizes that he is trying to speak... "b
luue...."