The sun was shining brightly, the vibrant rays spanning across the vast blue and into the copper pools. Squinted eyes looked up, a single hand raised, shielding eyes from the bright orb above, the golden light casting brown and red streaks into the dark raven strands. Gentle breezes ruffled through the silk and ebony as feet pattered slowly forward.
A man stood a ways ahead, eyes never leaving her, a carefree smile painted across his features, his figure relaxed, welcoming. His hair was so dark that the sun did not penetrate the strands, simply casting shadows and light upon the onyx. A cloth hung right by his chin, sweat forming above the upper lip.
Ah, summer.
Ah, Zed. Sorry to have kept you waiting.
Their heads were side by side, bodies laid on the ground opposite of one another. Squinted eyes looking up at the vast blue, the gray and white passing by above them pointed out silently, lazily. Soft laughter, the gentle murmur barely heard above chatter of birds and the water lapping against the muddy banks of the lake by them.
Hey, Zed? Will you stay with me forever?
And that was when his head had turned and she counted the eyelashes that framed the crimson, a crimson so inviting that she thought she had drowned.
The shriek of clashing metal slashed through the stormy night. Water slicked ebony whipped past, the soaked, jade green silk following the streak of gold as a small, lithe figure fell from the sky, gold striking silver, her body abuzz with Ki. The ground beneath his feet shattered, sending dirt, dust and debris flying into the the dark night.
Hey, Zed? Why did you betray us?
The shing of flying metal was heard as gold met with shurikens, the contact sending the projectiles flying away. Thunder rumbled loudly above them as lightning shone bright, almost like the gods were eager to spectate such a battle.
A battle worthy of the gods.
She felt it, running through her senses. Through her body, through her mind. Most importantly, through her heart. She felt it clearly like electricity and fire shooting through her soul.
A choked grunt, gentle breaths escaping her throat, her hair flying forward, the crack of stone, the collapse of rubble, dust and debris. Stone made contact with flesh, the ivory quickly turning to blue then slowly black.
Footsteps. So familiar she had heard it so many times before. So many times as she held in pain as she sat on the ground. A hand would usually extend out to her, palms inviting, calling.
Not this time. This time all she saw was a silver blade pointed right at her, palms closed, in fists, uninviting, unwelcome, uncalling.
Hey, Zed? You said you'd always pick me up when I fell down. Why did you lie?
Crimson.
Always that colour she would remember. She had always drowned in them. She had always enjoyed drowning in them. She felt it, warm, trickling down ivory, mingling with jade green, intertwining with ebony. The pain was at its peak now, her mind spinning. Light.
Before her, the crimson was no longer alive. Hollowed and empty, the eyes stared back in momentary shock. And then slowly, his knees gave way and he was on the ground next to her. Shock melted into a mixture of many symphonies before deciding to halt on a soft smile.
Hey, Akali? You beat me today.
Fingers brushed the bloodied flesh, slowly turning cold, slowly fading. And she smiled too, her body slowly falling. Her own crimson was mingling with his.
Hey, Zed? I won today.
The sun shone brightly above her. A man stood before her.
Its okay now.
We are together now.