"Left!" The voice in his head called out.
Slash!
He dodged to the left, only for a beaming ray of light to shoot out and rip through his torso, burning his insides amd boiling his blood.
It was to the left of his chest, having atomised his heart.
The dark haired man coughed up a mouthful of blood, holding the gaping hole in his chest as cuts and wounds riddled his worn body. His dark trench coat and linen cloths were already soaked in blood. The smile on his face was illuminated by the sword of light held in his brother's- no, enemy's hands.
"Vortigern, for going against the Solar Kingdom, this king sentences you to death."
"Hehe, so this is how it ends?" Vortigern chuckled, lifting his bloody hand from the deadly wound and using it to slick his dark hair back.
"You're gonna strike me down? Here, in this snowy forest, brother?"
Snowflakes continous fell.
The other man's face was solemn, the light from his sword seeming to pale in comparison to his bright golden eyes. His crimson hair and angular features making him seem exceptionally handsome.
"...You stopped being my brother the moment you went against the kingdom, Vortigern."
His words were slow and measured, he spoke them as if each word stabbed a dagger through his heart.
"Foolish little brother. You were always loyal to the kingdom, Arthur. Blindly loyal. Can't you see that you're just being used? That phony Sun God of yours and his bullshit church are parasites! He's nothing more than a-"
The sword of light was pressed against his neck, threatening to decapitate Vortigern.
"Enough!" Arthur growled,
"God is benevolent, God is omniscient! God is all-powerful! This.. is merely a test. To prove myself and ascend to his most beveloved subject. Someone as obsessed with power like you must be a demon, a devil. How many innocents did you kill to reach Stage 6?! How many families did you rip apart to nourish your shadows?! You know nothing." Arthur snarled.
The sneer on Vortigern's face morphed into an accepting smile, the sparse snowflakes falling down onto his hair and face, the others being melted by the sword.
"You must've resolved yourself even before you came, right? Good, good, good. I'll have to trouble with one last request."
Vortigern lifted his head, looking at the snow-covered leaves and night sky.
He couldn't help but admire the view- Each of the plentiful stars looked like tiny gems sewn into the black and violet background, twinkling and glistening. The moon hung above everything else, looking down at the world and shining it's homely glow onto him.
"Accompany me to hell, would you?"
A beautiful smile bloomed onto his face.
"Vortigern!" The voice in his head said mournfully.
"Vortigern!" Arthur shouted, shocked.
In an instant, The sword of light cut through Vortigern's neck like butter, though it was too late. The shadows around Arthur surged and clawed out at everything else. They seemed to devour everything as the trees in the forest sinked into the shadows below.
With each snowflake, tree or leaf consumed, the well of darkness grew in size.
Ans in the midst of this, Arthur shone like the sun.
He was like a torch, a layer of light radiating like the dawn of a new day as light filled the entire forest, fighting off the shadows. From the event horizon, the middle of the blackhole-like shadow was now a mini-sun. It shone so bright, one could see it even from space!
It was futile.
The darkness receded, but it eventually stabilised. It started gnawing at the light, slowly but surely chipping away at the radiance. Eventually, nothing was left except from the outline of a person, the surface of his skin glowing incessantly.
"Vortigern, we both shall die here today. God is just in his actions, his every action perfect! If it was decreed for me to perish here, then so be it."
Slowly, the light was peeled off his body, revealing his reverent grin. The shadows had already nibbled at his body, covering everything below the waist.
"Good! Righteousness will prevail, my life for yours is fair! Vortigern, you truly were a devil, and I, in His heaven, will ascend to the level of an Angel!"
With this final cry, the shadow took Arthur as he died with a smile.
"...Idiot."
The aged voice groaned, clasping a hand over it's face.
It looked like the silhouette of Vortigern, like a 3 dimensional shadow of him.
"...Sorry?" Vortigern offered sheepishly, sitting on the floor of this white void. "I did my best, it just turned out little bro was stronger than I thought." He walked towards the silhouette, his face turning grim.
"What incarnation was I again?"
"The 99th."
Vortigern whistled, itching the back of his head.
"Soooo, how much time do I have left, partner?"
The silhouette shook his head, "No more than 5 minutes. The other's died with more Od left in their Soul Dam. We'll have to rush some of the.. customization."
"Damn, I should've saved some Od.." Vortigern hummed as the silhouette waved his hand.
"Huh? Only one option?" Vortigern raised an eyebrow.
"This is for his Emblem. Nageel picked out 'Shadow' for you from 200,000 other options, but I've had enough of your failures! I'll lend your next self one of my own Emblems." The silhouette grumbled.
"Woah! I'm sure my next incarnation will succeed with this. Thanks, Wen."
"It's not Wen! It's 'Ddraig Wen'."
"Same thing, stop being such a buzz kill. I'm literally dying as we speak and you have the cheek to rebuke me over such a little thing? Maybe I should stop this incarnation thing all together. Yep, that's it. As of today, no more deal! You are the worst par-"
"Shut up! What hair colour?"
"Blue."
"Light or dark hair?"
"Dark!"
"Short or tall?"
"Wait, that's an option? Fuck Nageel for making me 5'7.."
"Short or tall!"
"Tall!"
"Smart or Strong?"
"...Why not both?"
"...Both it is then."
A moment of silence passed between them.
"I guess this is it, then?" Vortigern broke the silence, his tone wistful as he grinned, "Y'know, the next Arthur will be the hundredth! We'll match. Maybe, the two will meet and become friends. Heh, I hope they don't end up like us.."
He turned away and seemed to be looking at something, far into the white void.
A tear fell onto the floor.
"Ddraig?"
Vortigern called out.
"..Yes?"
The silhouette walked up to Vortigern, standing next to him.
Pitter-patter.
Droplets of water fell onto the tangible white floor.
"I don't want to die."
"...Yeah."
Ddraig Wen patted Vortigern's back.
"I'll miss you, partner." They said at the same time.
"...."
Vortigern giggled, and so did Ddraig.
Soon, the two of them were lying on the floor, wiping tears that were caused by laughter.
"I'll make sure that the next 'you' doesn't end up an idiot like yourself." Ddraig grinned.
"Yeah, yeah. Just take good care me, okay?" Vortigern sat up.
"He'll do it, for sure." He grinned, eyes slightly red.
"He'll make all of 99 of us proud."
Slowly, he started breaking down into motes of light.
"You'll fulfill our dream! You'll become the strongest!"
In the white void, there was only one person.
"...I'll make sure of it." Ddraig whispered to no-one, standing up and walking into the distance of the white void.
His face was flat, his shadow-like figure already making his expressionless face even more cold and devoid of emotion.
Loss was a strong feeling, but..
He was already used to it.