The Last Stand (Part I)

Here I sit, old and scarred, staring into the depths of my mug, contemplating what lies ahead. For decades, I've stood against the darkness, a hammer crushing its vile ambitions. But now, time creeps upon me, the weight of my years heavier each dawn. Still, the call comes, a dread threat looms, demanding a final reckoning.

Through the fog of age, visions of Ljuba flicker, the flame of our love eternal despite the miles between us. Her sweet laughter, the touch of her hand, they sustain me still, driving me forward toward whatever awaits.

They say there's naught left to win, that wars fade to dust, legacies eroded by time. But I know better. With every breath, I carry the spirits of those who fell beside me, their ghostly voices urging me onward. So, I rise once more, my battle-axe gleaming, ready to meet the nightmares head-on, for Ljuba, for my clan, for the legacy of the Stonehearts.

Let the young learn the true measure of valor, let them witness the resolve of a man unwilling to bow, even as the earth claims him. I'll walk the road to ruin, eyes fixed on the horizon, for the Stoneheart cannot break, not so easily, not today, nor tomorrow, nor evermore.