The Knights of Light and Darkness is the 10th book in the Tales of the Emerald City series by Sergei Sukhinov. It was published in 2004.
Description[]
This tenth and final installment of Sukhinov's monumental Emerald City saga brings matters to a head, and leads up to the final battle between the evil Pakir's armies and the forces of Light. In addition to providing a resolution to the conflict that has been building up in the previous installments, it also tells the origins of several major characters. Almar finds himself sharing a body with Prince Backar of the Cloud World, ages before. Pakir threatens to destroy the Cloud World if the emperor Morefey, Backar’s father, does not turn over to him the Portal of Darkness, which is in Morefey’s custody and which Pakir needs in his war on Torn of Atlantis. Morefey refuses, and Pakir makes good on his threat, but not before Morefey has transferred half his power to his daughter-in-law Irinia, who becomes – Stella! Atlantis is destroyed, and the survivors of the Cloud people become the People of Shade.
Ellie directs the various military maneuvers from the Emerald City, using Stella’s magic mirror. Almar and Changar go to the City of Eternal Happiness to pick up Drom, and they help the Folk fend off an attack. In Blue Land, the Munchkins, aided by Argut and Shrubsy, rise up and depose Agnet. Almar arrives there in time to rescue Corina the mouse, Ellie restores her to human form from afar, and they set out for the Underground Kingdom.
Parcelius has finally produced the Black Flame, and Pakir takes it with him on a boat to the island where the Portal of Darkness is now located. Langa, for reasons of her own, contrives to get Donald on board the ship to block Pakir from using the Flame as he intends. Once Pakir is gone, the slaves rise up in rebellion and occupy the palace.
Attacks on Rose Land and Black Dragon Canyon are fended off, and the Woodman and his army go to the Dead Forest to stave off an attack there. The fighting is unusually ferocious, and Tom, now human, holds off the enemy long enough to give the others time to regroup and win victory; but, sadly, he is killed. The Atlanteans take the fallen back to their land.
Pakir uses the Black Flame to burn part of the Portal of Darkness, releasing some of the Star Legionaries. Donald fails to stop him, but Drom, whom Corina has made a giant again, arrives in time to face him. Himself on fire, he closes the Portal and fuses himself with it, so that it can never open again. The final battle takes place at Three Brothers Mountain, with every major character (even Villina, back from Greenland) taking part. The forces of Light eventually have the upper hand, and Almar and Ellie face Pakir in single combat -- but the issue is decided when Irinia-Stella faces Pakir, forcing him to flee Earth forever! Good has triumphed over Evil!
In a short epilogue, we learn that Almar and Ellie are married and have two small children, and that all the surviving protagonists are due to come to the Emerald City to celebrate the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary.
| Sergei Sukhinov's Magic Land books | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tales of the Emerald City | 1. Gingema's Daughter 2. The Fairy of the Emerald City 3. The Sorceress Villina's Secret 4. The Sorcerer's Sword 5. The Eternally Youthful Stella 6. Parcelius the Alchemist 7. Battle in the Underground Land 8. King Midgety 9. The Sorcerer from Atlantis 10. The Knights of Light and Darkness | |||
| Fairy Tales of the Emerald City | 1. Corina the Lazy Sorceress 2. Corina and the Ogre 3. The Sorceress Villina's Ward 4. The Little Dragon 5. The Crystal Island 6. Corina and the Magic Rhino 7. Three in the Enchanted Forest 8. The Black Fog 9. Master of the Winged Monkeys Prequel: Goodwin the Great and Terrible | |||