A man sat cross legged on the hard rocky ground, meditating, focusing on all the sounds around him. He barely distinguished soft quiet footsteps approaching him, then stopping.

"Brock".

Without turning, Brock recognized the voice. He calmly stood up, and faced Jonathan. Jonathan's maddened face gave him goosebumps, but he placed his hand readily on the sheath of his sword. The empty dried out land suited their current tense atmosphere.

"Jonathan", he acknowledged him, and stood in a defensive posture. Jonathan gripped on his bat, and unsheathed his machete.

"We don't have to do this", Brock reminded him, "We could be friends again".

"Friends betray", Jonathan hissed through gritted teeth, "And you have proven that very well".

Brock took out his dagger and twirled it skillfully.

"Very well, but before we start this useless fight, could you tell me the reason for your hatred towards me?", he requested, focusing on Jonathan's face to catch every emotion. At this moment, fury flashed in Jonathan's eyes.

"You need reason?", he shouted, astounded, "Don't you see yourself? Don't you remember?" Then with a cry he lunged at Brock, Brock twisted out of Jonathan's way, and fended off his flying punch.

"You looked down on me, as though you were superior. You forced me to 'help' you, to risk my life for you. I had put up with that sh*t for too long. The last straw came after you murdered my girlfriend!"

Brock froze and gaped at Jonathan. "I what?", he whispered. That enraged Jonathan.

Jonathan roared and pushed away from Brock, swinging his bat. Brock blocked Jonathan's blow, and kicked at his knees as an attempt to make him fall. Jonathan did fall on one knee, but used that opportunity to try and jab Brock's stomach with his machete. Brock managed to block that also in a split second, and he felt how his nerves started to thump in his head with anxiety.

Jonathan has always been a great fighter, as well as a great friend. They went on adventures together, and always looked at each other as equal. They helped each other out, and Brock has lost count of how many times Jonathan managed to save his life. They always had each other backs. But once, Jonathan came back to their camp late one night, and it was that fateful night that Jonathan seemed to change. His sense of humor seemed to disappear, and he always seemed to envy Brock. He became more ruthless with enemies, constantly calling Brock soft whenever Brock refused to torture anybody for information.

Jonathan rolled away from Brock and threw a knife at him. Brock dodged that and jumped towards Jonathan, pinning him to the ground.

"Jonathan, what has gotten into you?", he asked, as he struggled holding his friend to the ground. Jonathan's left arm slithered out from beneath Brock and punched him. Brock yelped, and was soon kicked away. Brock stumbled onto his feet, and in time blocked Jonathan's attempt of stabbing him.

"I will avenge my love", Jonathan spat, "You knew I loved her! And you slayed her right in front of me. I tried to revive her, but it was too late. You weren't even there to console me! You only laughed and left".

"Jonathan, I never did that", Brock grunted, as his body was pushed back by Jonathan, "I only heard of your girl through your own stories. I never met her! When did she even get killed?"

Jonathan blinked several times in confusion, but anger took hold of him again as he stepped backwards, and made Brock stumble forwards. Brock's breathing abruptly stopped in shock as Jonathan stabbed his left side with his machete.

"Yesterday", breathed Jonathan at Brock's ear, pushing the machete deeper into him, "You killed her yesterday". Brock choked out in pain, as his eyes stayed wide in shock. He was going to die. By his own friend. Because of some error.

"Jonathan, please listen to me", he uttered out, "I am dying. You are killing me. I am sure all this is misunderstanding. Yesterday I was in the ancient library, researching on a demon called Luckanas. He is controlling you, isn't he?"

Jonathan stiffened. Brock used that moment, and swiftly took out a yellow magical cube and pressed into Jonathan's bare neck. Jonathan yelled out and stumbled away from Brock, and the ground shook violently from beneath him. Brock grimaced as he took out the machete out of him, and sunk to the ground, covering his bleeding wound.

Jonathan's shouting was mixed in with an inhuman yowling, and soon enough, red figure came out of his body like a shadow, and Jonathan collapsed. Brock studied the red stranger, and his eyes widened as he recognized it. The images of a red being, with short black horns and curly black hair. Left eye scarred, and usually depicted as an upside-down cross in books.

"Luckanas", muttered Brock, propping himself up, as the mythical being looked towards him. Right before his eyes, the devil transformed into a simple, but well-muscled, human. He had a beard and spiky brown hair. In human form, the devil turned towards Jonathan and bend over him.

"Jonathan! Wake up! What did that dude do to you?", he said frantically, shaking Jonathan. Jonathan groaned, and was helped up by the devil.

"Luke?", he managed to say, then winced as he grabbed his head in pain.

"Don't worry buddy, I am with you", the devil said, but Brock saw a satisfied evil grin on his face, "I will not let that freak touch you again with any cubes".

"What you mean? What happened anyway?", Jonathan murmured with confusion. His dazed eyes landed on Brock.

"Brock?", he asked, then his eyes shot open into full focus as he noticed blood all over Brock, "Brock! What happened to you?"

Jonathan managed to stand up, and was about to stagger towards Brock, but "Luke" stopped him.

"What are you doing? You want him to attack you again?", the devil asked. Jonathan looked at him.

"What on earth do you mean? He would never attack me", he said, turning once again towards Brock.

"He did, he did!", Luke insisted, holding onto Jonathan's arm, "You were here, minding your business. But then he came and attacked you! He said you were too weak to work with, and that was the reason why he killed your girlfriend!"

At this moment, Luke had his hand close to Jonathan's head, and Brock recognised that move. Luckanas has the power to place images into its victim's head, and has the ability to drive them insane. Those images could be real, and false. The victim never is able to see the difference.

"Get away from him", Brock shouted threateningly, but fell to the ground from weakness.

Luke chuckled darkly, continuing to place images into Jonathan's head.

"He never cared for you, Jonnie", he whispered maliciously, "He only used you, and forced you to go into danger. He killed your only love, right in front of you. What should we do with bad guys?"

"Kill them", Jonathan answered in a monotone voice. He then started approaching Brock, holding onto his bat.

"No Jonathan", Brock stuttered, and cried as pain shot through him. He looked at his friend, only able to lift his head weakly.

"Jonathan please, while you are here, battle the demon. Luke is no friend, but the enemy", he urgently delivered the information.

"But Luke was my friend all the time", Jonathan said, stopping.

"Use the cube", Brock continued, "Take the yellow cube and you will be safe from the demon. With it, you'll be able to kill him".

"That is silly", spat Luke, "A stupid cube killing a demon! Finish him, Jonathan".

Jonathan watched Brock silently, and Brock felt relief flood him as he saw his friend getting more sober and clearminded. He recognized the look on his face, as his thoughts raced of what to do.

"Then pick it up", Jonathan requested simply, and faced Luke. Luke's mouth dropped open. But he composed himself and sneered.

"You really believe the prick? Just kill him already before he betrays you again!", he insisted.

"Pick. It. Up", Jonathan demanded, in his rarely used steel voice. Brock smiled victoriously as the demon hesitated on the spot.

"Jonnie, don't you see what Brock is doing? He is now turning you against me", The demon almost whined, "Don't you see who is the true monster?".

"If you'll pick up the cube, then I will be satisfied that you are really no monster. For now, Luke, pick up the cube. Or shall I call you, Luckanas?"

"I don't want to", Luke then spat. Jonathan nodded once, and in a flash he sprinted towards the cube, grabbing it quickly. He stood up and firmly pressed the cube into his own forehead. Even though untouched, Luke yelped and transformed back into its devilish form. He was out of Jonathan's head. He was wholly out of Jonathan's body.

"Now what?" shouted Jonathan and faced Brock. Brock closed his eyes to focus on what he had read over the past week.

"Give it over to me", he yelled, using his sword to prop himself up in a kneeling position. Jonathan nodded and agilely ran towards Brock. Luke, meanwhile, groaned as he recovered from the pain and with fury faced the duo. He started to chant something, and he transformed back into his true form. He moved his hands, and a ball of wind formed in his hands. He then threw the giant ball at Brock, hoping to swallow them both into a hurricane. Jonathan hastily muttered an enchantment, and created a dome shaped and transparent shield around both of them.

"Glad you didn't forget about that spell", commented Brock with a half-smile. Jonathan gazed at him.

"What, when I was possessed I did not like the shield charms?", he guessed with jest. Brock nodded as he focused on the devil.

"You demanded to be more powerful, and assured me that shield enchantments make you weak", he told him, the he started to mutter some words in foreign language that he learned off his heart. Jonathan shuddered.

"I was impossible", he self-commented quietly, and expanded the shield around them more. At the same time, he focused on earth and stomped his foot once onto it. The earth rippled from beneath him and the ripples turned bigger as they surrounded te devil and created a wall around him. But even if Luke wanted to run, he couldn't. He was frozen on spot, not able to tear his eyes away from Brock. As Brock was reaching the end of his enchantings, the devil's skin was falling apart, and he screamed as he exploded. A bright beam of red light shimmered all around Brock, and in the end all went quiet. Instead of a dried out land, appeared a healthy, lively forest, with various plants and animals. Jonathan got rid of the shield, and Brock managed to hear beautiful singing of the birds. A beautiful place to die in...

Brock collapsed onto the ground, which wasn't rock hard anymore, but soft with grass.

"Brock!", exclaimed Jonathan and lifted his friend's head up. Brock smiled shakily.

"From here, you must embark on your own journey", he said gravely, smiling reassuringly, "Nothing lasts forever, I guess".

"I did this to you, didn't I?", Jonathan sobbed bitterly, as he gingerly touched Brock's bleeding wound. Brock wanted to reply, but instead groaned as he felt his life trickling away.

"Promise to stay sane from now on", he joked, as his breathing became more shallower, "And don't take devils as friends anymore".

"I promise", choked out Jonathan and placed his head onto his friend's forehead. They shared their final moments. How many journeys they traveled together. How many victories they endured. How many times they joked and messed around in their precious free time.

All the precious memories ran through Brock's head, and he smiled lightly.

"Don't forget to do the funeral spell we once did on that old bloke in the past", Brock whispered, as he felt his time coming. Jonathan only managed to nod, as he was trying to not cry. They shared another silence.

"Jonathan, please do not blame yourself for any of this, alright?", Brock whispered gently.

"But it is", insisted Jonathan in a strangled voice. Brock shook his head weakly.

"It is my final death wish that you would never blame yourself", he announced, looking at Jonathan determinedly. Jonathan exhaled in defeat, and smiled.

"Fine", he promised Brock. Brock nodded in satisfaction and looked up at the blue sky. With a last shuddering breath, Brock was gone from this world.

Jonathan stayed there for a while, and soon stepped back. Tears were streaming down his face, but he made no noise of crying. He started to chant a spell quietly, moving his hands in time with the enchantings. He soon finished it, and it was a success. Brock's body transformed into thousand oak leaves, and with the help of the wind, Jonathan made them all fly up, and disperse all over the forest, and be part of nature.