It was as clear as yesterday. As clear as anything could be, if that anything happened
countless years before. but he remembered. Oh how how he remembered it. how could he
forget?

Thunder flashed and lit up the dark night sky. The lightning was the only light, and it
came in patches of white brilliance. Its radiance illuminated the battlefield of the two
mortal enemies. There was no rain, it was a dry storm and deadly for it. With each
movement of the foes dry fallen leaves crackled. The storm was almost as fierce as the
anger between the two. Like it the storm could erupt at any moment. One was fighting for
conquest. To rule the world beneath his booted feet, that was his goal. The other to save
the world. Regardless of the people in it and their disbelief. Each had their goal their
quest. They knew each other as if they were brothers. As close to being friends as mortal
enemies could be. worlds, universes apart but drawn together by the knowledge. The
knowledge that only one of them could win. Each secure in the knowledge, the delusion
that he would be the one. It was their birth right. they were puppets of destiny without
seeing their strings.

He somehow couldn't remember how they had arrived there. For all he could see so
clearly he didn't know that. He knew he had been chasing his foe. The exact reason why
also eluded him now after so long. He supposed it must have been the reason that he
always used. But suddenly they were there. His immortal foe stood before him trapped,
with only a sharp drop and the rocks below. He had never wondered why such things
existed on the planet. Sharp deadly falls in a public place such as a park. it didn't matter
before.

One stood in fear the other in triumph. One a child the other childlike. For all their threats
of death and vengeance they had never followed through. Fate or luck they had both
survived each other for so long.

He backed up as I pressed him. I allowed myself a self assured grin

"I have you now!" i hissed with heated glee. I knew it and so did he, but he wouldn't go
quietly. No not without a valiant fight for his beliefs. i exspected no less. Only as a
gesture of my superiority in the situation I made an offer "Give up and I promise you
won't suffer... much." His eyes narrowed and he countered

"i will never give in to the likes of you." I advanced another step, my weapon brought to
bear. He tried to retreat but with disbelief he found he couldn't. his heel had found the
edge. Scowling, he regretted leaving his house without weapon. He had dropped his
pathetic guard for once just once, and there I had been, ready to pounce.
A sudden flash of lightning brightened the mere feet between us. We stood tensed, the
electrocuted sky of the storm nothing to the energy passing between our locked gazes. A
period of reverent silence. A flash and without warning I lunged. Startled he hadn't quite
anticipated my move, and he stepped backwards. into air. Time slowed as lightning
deadly brilliance outlined every nuance of his shocked face. I reached out and tried to
grab his shirt. Desperately tried to stop the unstoppable. I missed. Time sped up and
gravity took over. The light faded and darkness swallowed him. Desperately I reached
over the edge trying to reach him. I don't remember a sound. no scream no thud no
nothing. The thunder roared drowning out all sound as it filled my head. The lightning
flashed and it showed me what I wanted to deny. His crumpled form, what seemed
light-years below.

I don't know how but I somehow managed to get down get to him. I can't remember what
I was thinking. I think I'm glad I don't. Then I was there my knees in the sharp jagged
rocks leaning over him. Another flash and I could see the damage. There was blood. so
much blood every where. I knew it was a head wound, they bled the most. Something in
me hoped that it was small and just bled a lot. Miracurasly he was still alive. In the once
more fading light, I could see in his eyes more then the light was fading. he reached out
and grabbed my collar pulling my face close to his with unnatural strength. He whispered
and his grip lost its strength.
"you won." I shook my head. Then knowing he couldn't possibly see the gesture, I spoke.
"No it wasn't supposed to end like this not like this," my eyes filled with liquid and I
shook my tears away.
'I never thought you could actually defeat me. No.. not like this...I-I don't want to go I
haven't finished my mission." It was inhuman how long he was clinging. He started
dragging in ragged gasps of air and coughed. A flash and I could see blood on the edge of
his mouth.
"promise" he wheezed
"what?"
"promise you.. you won't tell Gir. He won't understand you see. he.. they wouldn't
understand." His whisper was so low I strained to hear it and I barely muttered a
"I promise."I grabbed his hand and squeezed. A flash of lightning and I desperately
thought of trying to find some one to help, knowing it was too late. It had been too late
for too long. He felt me pulling away and he whimpered. A pathetic sound but I knew I
couldn't leave. I spoke reassurances then in a sudden fit of denial.
"Don't worry, help will come, it be okay.. just hang on a little longer." I begged. another
flash of lightning and I could see he was smiling. Then he was gone.
"zim? no Zim don't.. no. ZIM!" My immortal enemy was gone. I had killed him. Finally
it began to rain. The sky burting open and crying for him. for me.

I was the child and he only childlike, but that night I saw my only friend die. With him
died the child in me. In the end we had both lost. We had lost the thing we didn't know
we had. the thing we needed the most. We lost each other. In our bitter
enmity their had been a friendship. we were happiest at each other's throats. I can only
wonder if maybe would have been happier standing side by side.