Michalis opened his eyes.

Wait... what?

How could that have happened? How could his eyes have opened?

He was dead. That much he knew. The last thing he had seen was Prince Marth's face, an expression of pity gracing his features. The very last thing he ever wanted to see. He hated Marth anyway, and to see pity on his childlike, feminine face-ugh.

Michalis sat up. He felt fine. All the pain was gone, but he was beginning to worry. Where was he? Michalis looked around. All around him swirled dense, gray mist-except for one dark patch about twenty feet away from him.

Michalis tried to stand up, but suddenly felt dizzy and sick. His head spun, and he collapsed. Okay. So he couldn't stand. Bile rose in Michalis's throat at the idea, but it was unavoidable. He would have to crawl-something the proud prince would never have done in his lifetime.

Grimacing, the maroon-haired prince crawled toward the dark spot in the mist. As he got closer, the object came into focus. Michalis realized that the darkness was someone's robes-black robes that were similar to his own.

Now, Michalis stood over that someone's fallen body. He looked a bit like Michalis. He wore the aforementioned similar black robes, he had the same color of hair, and he looked as though he was of high standing. At first, Michalis wondered if it was a younger version of himself. They looked quite alike, besides the other figure's longer hair. Then Michalis dismissed the idea that they were the same person. The longer-haired man had different features than Michalis, and also had a strange cross-shaped mark in the middle of his forehead.

Michalis decided to attempt to wake the man up. He was curious to know his identity, and was desperate for someone to talk to.

"Hey... you there," Michalis said cautiously, shaking the man's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

The man's eyes fluttered open. "Ugh..." he moaned. "Wh-where am I? Who are you?"

"Wish I knew where we were." Michalis realized that he was still kneeling and sat down next to his companion. "But I do know my name-Prince Michalis of Medon. And you?"

The man regarded him warily. "But I'm dead," he said slowly. "It was Celice... with the Tyrfing..."

"I know. I'm dead too. By the hand of... Gharnef," Michalis said, bitterly recalling the decrepit old wizard's cruel laughter at Michalis's fall.

"Oh. That's too bad." The man whom Celice had killed looked up at Michalis. "My name is Yurius. Prince Yurius of Barhara." Yurius laughed darkly. "Or, as some like to call me, the Prince of Darkness."

"Hmmm. I've never heard of you."

"I've never heard of you, either," Yurius shot back immediately. "So... how exactly did you die?"

"Foolishness." Michalis laughed without humor. "I was trying to get my hands on a tome... and I fell into a trap. I was... careless." Michalis sighed. "And before that... I guess I failed my life. I killed my father, imprisoned my sister... and my other sister hates me, now. I wonder if she'll mourn me," Michalis murmured, almost to himself.

"I had a sister," Yurius said quietly. "A twin. Yuria. But I don't remember much of her before... before..." Yurius rubbed his temples. "I... I lost my life a long time ago, really. When I was possessed by Loptous. But I still remember being possessed." Yurius smiled. "I liked it. I felt so powerful."

"I wish... I wish I'd done more with my life," Michalis said. "I never really knew which side I was on. I was always being used."

"Me too," Yurius said. "When I was possessed, I might have been more powerful, but... I had no will. No will at all. Loptous... he monitored everything I did, from my actions to my speech. Even my thoughts." Suddenly, Yurius looked up. "Ishtar..."

"Hm? Who?"

"Noth... nothing," Yurius said dejectedly after looking around. "Of course... now that I can finally truly love her, she's nowhere to be found..."

"Your girlfriend?" Michalis asked with a touch of envy. The closest he had come to a girlfriend was his sister Minerva.

"Yes." Yurius sighed. "She's dead too. Why isn't she here?"

"I have no one," Michalis said in a hollow voice. "No one waiting for me."

"Well, I have no one either. No one who I can speak to, anyway."

"What am I, then?" Michalis asked angrily.

"Oh... I meant from my lifetime. Sorry."

The two young, foolish princes were quiet for a moment.

"You know, I thought you were a different version of myself at first," Michalis commented.

"Indeed. We are alike," Yurius replied.

"It's a good thing," Michalis said thoughtfully. "It seems as though we'll be spending some time together."

I've always liked Michalis and Yurius. I thought it would be interesting if they met each other. They might be a bit OOC, but oh well. Please review.