"I-I'll never lose to you!" A struggling Luke fon Fabre screamed to his original, Asch. The final blow was struck, as Luke swung down his blade at Asch's, and it flew from his hands, slicing into the floor a few feet behind him. Asch stared fiercly into Luke's shocked eyes, not moving an inch. "I can't lose..." Luke whispered, relaxing his shoulders.
"I can't believe it..." Asch hissed through his teeth, clenching his fists as he stared to the pure white floor. "Losing to a replica, like you..." Asch's body began to tremble with disappointment, as he stumbled backwards a few steps.
"Asch, we're not the same, you know..." Luke mumbled, hardly audible, trying to calm him down.
"SHUT UP!" Asch screamed, his eyes piercing through Luke.
Luke almost flinched a bit, unsure of what Asch's next action may be. "It's up to you, replica. Go." He whispered, turning his back to Luke. There was a lingering, sinister silence hanging in the air, until Luke whispered bluntly, "No." Asch turned around, enraged. "You have to stop Van! One of us has to!" He screamed, disgusted at how little Luke was understanding about the current situation.
"Asch, I won't leave you..." Luke whispered seriously. Again, they stared right through each other, and didn't say a word. "I can't leave you. I have nothing without you..." The expression on Luke's face was one of distraught and sorrow, as he tried his best to get his feelings across to his original. Asch was about to open his mouth to say something, until metal clanging was heard in the distance.
"What the Hell...?" Asch muttered, turning his head slightly to the source of the noise. An army. There was a swarm of Oracle soldiers running towards them. "Go, now, replica!" Asch yelled, not wanting him to be harmed by lowly soldiers. "I'm not leaving." Luke stated firmly, and pointed his sword at the Oracle soldiers running towards them.
"D-dammit..." Asch grumbled, as he scrambled to retrieve the Key of Lorelei.
"GYAH!" Luke screamed, slicing into numerous soldiers, covering himself in their blood. Asch drew his sword from the white floor, and thrust it into the belly of the nearest soldier. "Dammit, get out of here!" Asch screamed at Luke, as he plunged the tip of his blade into a soldier's helmet. "I told you, no!" Luke panted, as he cut at a person's throat.
Asch growled, as he swung at anything nearby, trying to make his way through the bodies to get to Luke. Luke spun his head to see the red-head running towards him. "Pay attention to these guys, not me!" Luke yelled, thrusting his sword into a nearby soldier's chest. Asch was now close enough to Luke that he could touch him. He grabbed at his shoulder, and stared firmly at him. "Escape." He hissed.
Luke's eyes widened large as an Oracle soldier behind Asch began to swing his blade downwards. "L-look out!" He screamed, trying to escape Asch's hold. Everything seemed to be going in slow-motion now, as a blade pierced through Asch's back. "Asch..." Luke whispered, horrified. Asch's eyes grew large in shock, as he turned his head and realized what was happening.
Another soldier came running towards them, and stabbed him in the back as well. "S-stop it!" Luke screamed, snapping out of his stupor, and slitting the throats of every last soldier remaining in the room. He went on a rampage, screaming hysterically, his clothes soaked in blood, his sword swinging wildly. "DON'T. HURT. ASCH." He screamed, tears flinging from his eyes.
All the soldiers around Luke had fallen, and he stood in the middle of them all, breathing heavily. He looked among the mutilated bodies and blood covered floor and walls, taking it all in. Until his eyes laid on Asch, sitting in front of a pillar, coughing up blood. "A-Asch..." Luke stuttered, as he dropped his sword and ran towards him.
"Stupid dreck..." Asch wheezed, clenching his fist over his chest. Luke knealed down beside him, unsure of what to do. While going crazy on the remaining enemies, he must have not noticed that another had stabbed a sword into Asch's stomach. "N-no..." Luke whispered, sliding the sword out from him, and tossing it aside.
A small smirk made it's
way upon Asch's bloodied lips as a pool of blood poured out from his
gut. "I-I... Told you to leave..." Asch struggled to say.
"Don't talk, don't talk, don't talk..." Luke whispered,
holding onto his arms, and resting his head on Asch's slumped
shoulders. Asch held back coughing up another mouthful of blood,
while staring blankly at the dead bodies littering the floor. "Don't
leave me, Asch..." Luke whispered, a tear rolling down his face.
Asch let out a sigh through his nose, and rested his head against the pillar he lay on. "I guess it really is up to you... Luke..." He coughed, blood trickling from his mouth.
"A-Asch?" Luke questioned, staring at Asch's calmed face. "Asch, no..." Luke stammered, tears forming in his emerald green eyes. "Don't leave me, no..." He shook his body slightly. No response, just a piece of hair falling over his face.
"No..." Luke repeated, nestling his face in the crook of Asch's neck. "No, no, no..." Luke's heart sank as tears escaped from his closed eyes. Normally Luke would feel Asch's body moving, breathing. ... It wasn't anymore. He looked up at his face yet again, his paled, calmed face, his parted, bloodied lips. He gingerly propped himself up on his knees, and gently kissed his lips. ... They were cold. They tasted of blood. That normal warm breath... It wasn't there, anymore... He was dead. Asch was dead.
Luke broke away slowly, letting out an unexpected sob. "I can't go on..." He cried, as he was about to snuggle into him once again. ... But, instead, he threw his head back in pain as he felt something enter his body. ... One soldier... Wasn't dead... Luke looked down calmly, observing the sword that skewered through his and Asch's chest. Luke made a choking noise, as warm liquid escaped through his parted lips, and trickled down his white clothes.
He broke out into a small smile, despite being stabbed, despite his original dying, despite his clothes being stained with his blood. He rested his head, took in a deep breath, and closed his eyes, snuggling into his love's arms for the last time.
