Prologue
There was complete silence in the vast darkness of the Cythra Desert. A slight breeze blew as a tall figure dressed in black strode across the cool sands. His spiky, blood-red hair swayed in the wind as he walked. His emerald green eyes watched carefully for any sign of movement in the barren, sandy wasteland. As he comes to the middle of a low valley, a slight buzzing sound reaches his ears. He stops and glances behind him to see a black, misty portal appear. A figure in black steps out and the redhead grins. The figure had flat navy-blue hair and his eyes were a pale shade of blue. "What do you want Jace?" The portal disperses and Jace looks at him with a concerned expression.
"Oh, nothing much Vexus, it's just that Zaiden wants me to kill you if you don't come back with me." Vexus turns around and continues walking. "Then go ahead, I'm not going back." Jace stares after him angrily. "Why are you leaving the clan Vexus? We all made a blood oath! It's not like you can up and leave then come back and expect to be welcomed with open arms! They'll kill you!" cries Jace as he glares after Vexus, who grins and continues to walk away. "Let them try, I'm not going back with you." Jace teleports in front of him and Vexus stops. "I'm not going to let you throw away our friendship!" Jace holds out his hand and a black mist swirls around it.
After a few seconds Jace held up a double-sided, black and blue scythe. Vexus recognized it immediately as Jace's Blood Scythe. "I'm not letting you leave only to be hunted down like some demon!" Vexus laughs then stares straight into Jace's eyes. Jace notices a glint of red in his eyes. "But isn't that what we are Jace, demons?" Vexus holds out his own hand and he summons his Blood Sword. Both weapons glow in the moonlight. "I'm not going to move." says Jace through gritted teeth. "You'd take me by force? Against my will?" Jace glares as Vexus continues to smile. "If that's what it takes." Jace swings his scythe and Vexus flips over him. He slashes Jace from behind and grins.
"Same old mistakes Jace." Vexus unleashes a 6 hit combo on Jace then spin kicks him and he goes flying. Jace lands on his feet and he sees a look of amusement on Vexus's face. "Good job Jace, looks like you've finally learned to land on your own two feet for once." Jace charges at Vexus in anger. "Shut up!" Vexus merely grins as Jace is about to hit him. "Big mistake." In a streak of black, Vexus had slashed Jace and ended up behind him, sword held out to the side. Jace, eyes wide with pain, collapsed into the sand. He gasped as he clutched his bleeding stomach. Vexus dismissed his sword and walked over to Jace, who was glaring up at him angrily. "I'm sorry Jace, but I need to do this." Vexus begins to walk away as Jace gazes after him. "If you really are leaving, at least tell me why." Vexus pauses then looks up at the pitch black sky. "To find my true meaning." Jace watches as Vexus disappears into the night. "Good luck, Vexus."
