Violet and Yellow
(An Epic Conquest Fanfiction: Louisa & Zerav)

Disclaimer: I neither own the Epic Conquest game nor its story and characters. I only own this fan fictional story.

Chapter 7: Duel

Two figures were seen walking in the snow. Both of them were wearing capes of colors blue and red, respectively. A trail of footsteps was left behind whenever their boots crunched the snow.

"Argh! I really hate it! Why do whenever we go to Salju Ridge, there is always a blizzard? Our night was supposed to be romantic in that cave!" Edna protested, muttering the last part to herself. Alaster still heard it. He smirked.

"Do not fret about it anymore. There will be another time." He squeezed her into a side hug and bump his forehead into hers. "Damn. You are still cold. Snow is really not good for you, huh?" He still had not let go of her. Edna shivered.

"Yes! I hate snow! I hate winter! It is every Fire Witch's weakness. Although, I love playing in the snow and building a snowman." Edna pouted, hugging herself more. "I mean, I am wearing a trench coat aside from my daily clothes, then you gave me your extra cape, and I also wore my own cape, but I still feel so cold!" She shivered once again. Alaster squeezed her even more.

"I am grateful for you for providing me extra warmth." Edna smiled at him. He smiled back.

"A pleasure, my lady." The tease earned a giggle from Edna and Alaster smiled even more. "But worry no more, for we are here."

They came to a stop, facing the tower at the border between the Salju Ridge and Hargash Volcano. The tower where Zerav was located or in this case, hiding. Alaster let go of side-hugging Edna and instead held her hand. He gave it a tight squeeze. Edna looked at him with worry.

"Be prepared, Edna. This may not end up good." Alaster said while looking at the tower with seriousness. His face now donning a mask of a knight, one that is ready for battle.

"But Alaster, you said-" He cut her off before she could finish.

"It is Zerav we are talking here. He will not come with us willingly without a fight just like the first time we met him. And like you, Louisa cannot stand the cold. We need to get this over with. Do you understand?" Edna just ducked her head.

"Fine. But if things started to go overboard, I will stop both of you." Edna said with determination. Alaster knew by now that a promise made by Edna is a promise that will be kept. He smiled.

"It is settled then. Let us go." He gave her hand one last squeeze and with a nod to each other, they entered the tower.

The tower gave both of them an eerie feeling. It was dark and quiet. Dust covered the place and cobwebs can also be seen on the walls. No demons can be seen but signs of fighting from a long time ago are present. Dried blood caked the walls. Broken crates and barrels can be seen. Skeletons littered the floor and even black things which are remains of rotten viscera are present.

"Damn. How can that soul freak live in this kind of place?" Alaster said trying not to make a disgusted face.

"Hush. He might hear us." Edna made a silence sign with her finger to which Alaster just shrugged off.

"I am afraid he already sensed our presence even from the outside. He is a powerful demon after all." His hand gripped the hilt of his sword. Edna let out a sigh.

"You are right. I guess this is inevitable." They hurried their steps and the moment they reached the top, they were greeted with a strong barrier and Zerav was inside of it.

The demon's long silver hair was flowing freely with the wind. His wings was now back to their violet color. His scythe was standing slanted on the wall. Zerav had his back towards them, not uttering a single word or acknowledging them when they came.

"Coward! Get out of this barrier this instant!" Alaster shouted and started slashing the barrier but it was no use. Edna hit it with her flames but they were rendered useless.

"Futile attempts. I have put a silencing spell in the barrier so no magic can penetrate through it." Zerav finally faced them but what can be seen on the outside was far from the inside. Both was frozen in shock with what they saw. Zerav's face was hollow. His eyes lost their light. Zerav the Soul Collector was no more. Edna squeezed the part near her heart. She knew Zerav was hurting. Alaster, on the other hand, gritted his teeth. He slashed the barrier with his sword once again.

"Preposterous! Do not be preposterous, you fucking soul freak!" He keeps slashing the barrier with his anger and sometimes using his own physical strength to do it.

"If magic cannot go through then physical strength can. I am not a royal knight for nothing!" Alaster's hands was bleeding now and Edna was about to step forward to stop him but he stopped her before she could.

"Stay there, Edna! This is between me and the soul freak. We have a score to settle. And this silly barrier would not stop me!" He did his Earth Break and paused to catch a breath.

"Hey, soul freak. You think you are the only one who is hurting? Well, jokes on you because Louisa is too!" At the mention of her name, Zerav flinched. "Do you know she could die right now if you do not get your ass out of this freaking barrier? You are the one who did that to her so take responsibility!" At the last statement, Alaster managed to break the barrier. A powerful force erupted with magnificent strength and when it was gone, Zerav just stood there frozen. His empty eyes looking directly at Alaster and Edna.

"I am not worthy of her." Zerav said with no emotion.

"You fucking are!" Alaster said then huffed. "But she needs you right now. So come with us and pull her out of her misery!" Zerav took a step back.

"No. I am not worthy. No. No." It seems like he was saying these words to himself and not to them.

"Zerav! Please listen to us. Louisa needs you!" Edna shouted from behind. Zerav seems to freeze again upon hearing her name.

"No. No." He keeps muttering while holding his head roughly, eyes wide, and catching his breath with each word he uttered. "Stop saying her name!" A dark, violent force suddenly erupted forcing Alaster back and Edna catching him.

"Tsk. He has gone insane. There is no point in reasoning with him now." Alaster was about to go against Zerav but Edna held him.

"Alaster, this is just like back then when I had darkness in my heart. And just like what you did to me, what Zerav needs right now is for someone to bring him back to the light. Please make him see it, Alaster." Alaster let out a sigh and Edna loosened her hold.

"You females, really. Do not worry. I will bring him back. This is for Louisa's sake." Alaster smiled and held out his arm. Edna grabbed it with her own, their strong grip mirroring their intense feelings to save both of their friends. One is trapped in a possible never-ending slumber and the other is a wayward soul.

"For Louisa." Edna repeated. When they both let go, Alaster faced Zerav once again. The demon is now on his knees, hands still on his head, muttering incomprehensible words, and the dark force around him still erratic.

"You will come with us, demon. We will do so even if we have to use force!" With a battle cry, Alaster charged with his Shield Rush against the violent demonic force. However, the moment he was about to slash Zerav in his spot, he was suddenly gone. The dark force was gone with him, too. Everything became eerily quiet.

"Where did he-?"

"Alaster!" Before Alaster could react to Edna's shout, a scythe was upon him in a millisecond. His back was slashed and the force slammed him into the wall. He coughed up blood.

"Begone, human scum! A soul like you is not worthy to belong in my collection." Alaster used his sword to stand up, wincing in pain. Zerav is now in his awakened form. Weakly holding his shield and sword, Alaster once again formed his stance.

"Well, news flash soul freak. I would not let you take my soul nor Edna's and especially Louisa's. I made a promise to myself that I would repay her for the things she had done for Edna and me. This day would not end without you coming with us. I swear it upon my oath as a royal knight!" Alaster charged once again and Zerav easily avoided the attack. Zerav was fast and Alaster was at the losing end but when he managed to predict Zerav's patterns and read his movements, Zerav began to use his mana.

Zerav unleashed his Dread Chasm and Alaster immediately used his Earth Break. Despite the influence of the souls, he endured the pain and used Shield Rush and took advantage of the momentarily surprised Zerav to use Savage Rend. It was now Zerav's turn to cough up blood.

"Keh. You surprised me, human. I didn't know you were capable to injure a demon like me." Zerav said while wiping off the blood from his mouth.

"This is not the first time I fought with you. Although that time, Louisa was backing me up." Alaster said while catching his breath. His bleeding back was starting to affect him, too. Zerav, on the other hand, froze once again upon the mention of Louisa's name. A dark force suddenly enveloped him.

"I said do not mention her name!" Zerav became like a wild animal and Alaster had a hard time parrying his blows.

"Why?! Are you feeling guilty for what you did to her, huh, demon?!" Zerav used his Soul Snatch but Alaster thwarted it with his Counter Guard. Zerav gritted his teeth.

"She did that to herself! Let her drown in the misery she swam herself to!" After another fast and violent exchange of their weapons, Zerav used a silencing spell on Alaster.

"Shit!" Alaster cursed, unable to move.

"Die, human scum!" Zerav was about to open his Soul Oblivion field when Alaster just stood still and looked at him directly in the eyes.

"Why do you react to her name?" At this question, Zerav completely stopped. The dark force around him dissipated. The eerily quiet atmosphere of the tower came back once again.

"Since he is the Soul Collector, let us call him Mr. Soul."

"You are the smartest in our team, Yellow. I can't let you die."

"Zerav, are you going to stay after this is all over?"

"No."

"Okay."

"Aren't you going to fly me to my estate?"

"No way. You're heavy, Yellow."

"Hey! I am not fat!"

"I love you even if you are a demon but I cannot have you because I am a noble!"

Zerav fell on knees clutching his head once again. Memories of the two of them, aside from their adventure, kept playing on his mind. He does not know why this is happening to him. All he knows is that, his heart hurts. And that, he missed the annoying and overcurious girl that kept on thwarting him from taking away Edna's pure soul.

"I want her back." Zerav admitted now clutching his aching chest. Alaster saw the tears running down his face.

"Jeez. I did not know you were such a crybaby, soul freak." Edna started comforting Zerav rubbing soothing circles to his back and then gave Alaster a glare. Alaster just raised both of his hands and picked up both of his sword and shield.

After Zerav cried his heart out, there was an awkward silence among the trio.

"Damn. What kind of demon cries? I am so pathetic." Zerav said without looking at them. Alaster let out a 'hmp' then crossed his arms while Edna just gave an awkward smile.

"Sometimes, we have to let things out. It will do no good to bottle it up." Zerav just closed his eyes at this. Alaster spoke next.

"So, are you ready to see Louisa?" Edna immediately stood up before Zerav could answer.

"Wait! We need to stop by the house first, Alaster. Zerav cannot go there looking like this!" They both looked at his appearance. "I mean, he is meeting his soon to be in-laws!" Edna whispered to Alaster but from the way Zerav twitched his eyebrow, they both know he heard them.

"Well, you got that right. I also do not want Louisa to be shamed by many." By now, Zerav was giving both of them a death glare.

Both just nodded and the three went out of the tower using Zerav's teleportation spell. Zerav had a feeling that this is going to be worse than what he is currently thinking. However, nothing beats the feeling that Yellow is going to be part of his life again.

A/N: Long time no update me yeah! Sorry about that. I am busy with work. Teehee! Supposedly, Edna was going to stop the two in the middle of their fight but I changed my mind. I wanted the boys to have their own bromance! Teehee! Gear up for the next chapter! Our OTP will finally meet each other! And more surprises to come! So stay tuned!