-Throne Of Want-

Queen Nashandra writhed in the blue flames Seiko had implanted in her. Jinta and Lucatiel stood ready, in case the Queen wasn't finished, but they were all exhausted. Tetsuro was there as well, a tentative ally. Neither Jinta nor Seiko had wanted him there, but he had joined in anyway after their fight with the Throne Watcher and Throne Defender had turned out to only be the halfway point.

Their feelings of accomplishment when Nashandra died were cut short, though, by Tetsuro. They could hear him shaking in his armor, gripping Alonne's sword tightly. His left hand shot up to the side of his helmet. He went to one knee.

"Tetsuro?" said Lucatiel.

She approached, but only until she was close enough to see what was happening. There was a red aura flowing from the sword up Tetsuro's arm.

"T-This… Sword! You need to go! Take- Take the throne!"

Lucatiel hesitated at first, but when she looked back and saw Seiko and Jinta approaching ready for a fight, she turned fully to run for the throne…

And was cut down by Tetsuro before she could pass Seiko and Jinta. The shock on Seiko and Jinta's faces as Lucatiel saw them react told her that the speed was just as impressive as she guessed. She hit the ground and faded away, leaving Tetsuro standing there in front of the two, now silent and calm, holding the bewitched sword. He raised it, one hand under the guard, one at the base of the hilt.

They both looked over his mish-mash of armor - black iron gauntlets and boots, Vengarl's cuirass, and Sir Alonne's tasselled helmet. He was too hidden in it all for them to tell what had happened, but they could both sense the sword had possessed him.

"Figures," said Jinta. "We just start to find a reason to trust him, and now this."

"If we destroy the sword, we might be able to save him," said Seiko.

"I don't know if he'll give us that chance."

"He's not making any moves against us."

"Yet. Surround him."

A/N: Defy Death by Alex Roe, originally called Alchemists composed by Yugo Kanno

The two moved away from each other, pacing around Tetsuro so they were to his left and right. He stood completely still, but the two could see red, glowing eyes flick between looking at one and then the other.

Seiko reached for her Estus Flask and Tetsuro slashed the air in her direction, firing a wave of red energy from the sword at her. She dodged without drawing the flask. Jinta took the opportunity to start reciting a healing miracle, but Tetsuro fired a wave of magic at him as well. Not to have his chant broken so easily, Jinta dodged and kept speaking in a level tone, but Tetsuro approached almost as fast as the magic had and attacked.

Jinta was forced to block with one of his blessed arming swords and stop his incantation. He slashed at Tetsuro with the other sword, but Tetsuro managed to block with lightning speed. Jinta tried to attack him again and keep him distracted so Seiko could drink Estus, but Tetsuro lept into the air. He flipped backward and slashed at Seiko before he ever hit the ground. Jinta was shocked by the superhuman mobility he saw, but he started chanting again while chasing down Tetsuro.

Tetsuro's attack had caused Seiko to drop her flask, so she clenched her free right hand and cast her healing Pyromancy while Tetsuro redirected and attacked Jinta. The spell, now known as Warmth, would heal all three of them, but Seiko had confidence she and Jinta could win if they both weren't so tired from fighting already.

Tetsuro clashed with Jinta only once before landing a hit, carving out a slice of Jinta's right shoulder, almost to the bone. Jinta's armor split as if it wasn't even there, including the plate on his shoulder, cloth, and chainmail underneath. When Tetsuro felt the wave of healing magic behind him, he kicked Jinta away from it and turned to rush at Seiko. Jinta flew back, but as soon as he hit the ground, he started his miracle again.

Tetsuro clashed with Seiko, practically standing inside her spell, but he started to turn and move to attack Jinta again. Seiko was ready for it this time and blasted him in the back with a Fireball. Tetsuro stumbled, whirled to face her, and fired his own Fireball. Seiko was taken by surprise, under the impression that he didn't use magic, but she quickly ducked under the spell.

He's a Pyromancer too?! Since- Wait… He was a Pyromancer! I thought he refused to use any magic at all!

Tetsuro attacked Jinta with focus this time. Jinta deflected a hit with his gauntlet, tried to counter, and found that Tetsuro was too fast to deal with one-on-one. Jinta tried to retreat, but Tetsuro's sword was too long to escape. Jinta drew his other sword, and abandoned his casting attempts. Now with both swords drawn, they clashed again. Tetsuro came down, Jinta tried to parry, and Tetsuro shifted the slash to be more direct.

Jinta stabbed with his other sword and Tetsuro pivoted in place to intercept with his long blade. With the change in stance, Tetsuro put strength behind his sword and Jinta found himself thrown through the air. With the new momentum, Tetsuro spun. He let go of his sword with his left hand and threw a Great Fireball at Jinta. Jinta covered his face with his arms, but he was struck before he ever hit the ground.

Tetsuro kept spinning to face Seiko as she approached, rejuvenated by her spell. She put all her own strength behind her swings, but found that neither Tetsuro nor his sword gave way. Jinta could practically feel the air vibrate every time the two blades crashed into one another. Even more amazing was how the bewitched sword never chipped or cracked. Seiko's blade was meant to give in, but only slightly, for a bite to control her opponent's sword.

Several times she tried to redirect Tetsuro, only to find that he was strong enough and fast enough to recover and attempt a counter before she could capitalize on her opening. Jinta took the opportunity to draw his talisman and try to cast again. The moment his blade hissed into its scabbard, Tetsuro cried out and fire exploded between himself and Seiko. He turned and stabbed at Jinta, and his sword carried him as it had carried Alonne over the bricks without anymore movement. Jinta was taken off guard by the speed with which Tetsuro covered the distance. He was stabbed, through his armor, in the chest.

Tetsuro pivoted in place again to face Seiko. He walked toward her while pulling the blade from Jinta's chest and never looked back at the fallen Paladin. Jinta faded to ash behind Tetsuro as Seiko watched. She was just as surprised, but her anger overpowered anything else.

"If I can't break the sword," she yelled, "Then I'll just break you!"

She adjusted her grip on her sword and jets of steam issued from the gaps in her armor. She jumped forward, out of the cloud of mist and slashed down at Tetsuro. He tried to block and found himself forced to one knee. His blade chipped.

Tetsuro shifted his arms to redirect Seiko's sword to the ground but she abated and stepped back when she felt the shift. She slashed down at him at an angle and he dodged. As he came out of the dodge, though, she was there. A punch streaked into his chest and ribs cracked. He flew and slid across the ground on his back. Seiko jumped high over him, landed behind him, and turned to slash with an uppercut aimed at his head.

Tetsuro heard her sword cut clean through stone and he started to roll. The start of his roll moved his head enough that he only lost a slice of his scalp and some of his helmet. He made it to his feet in time to parry Seiko's next swing.

She readied another strike faster than his hands could match, but his feet were already moving. Tetsuro shifted his stance to kick one of Seiko's feet out of place. Her strength worked against her and she threw herself off balance long enough for Tetsuro to cut halfway through her neck.

With another shift in his feet and his grip, Tetsuro freed his blade from her spine and she fell dead at his feet. He lifted the massive blade and rubbed her blood down its length. The sword and he rejoiced in the victory, and the chip in the sword was repaired. Tetsuro walked in front of the path to the throne. He sat down just before where the statues had come together to form their bridge.

And he waited.

A/N: Soundscape To Ardor, composed by Sagisu Shiro

When someone did come, it was a trio. Lucatiel, Jinta, and Seiko returned together. Tetsuro sat, as Alonne had, with his legs crossed and his sword in his lap. When they entered the room, he stood and raised his weapon.

"Tetsuro?" said Jinta. "If you're in there, you need to find a way to tell us. Because if you aren't, we're going to put an end to your immortality."

No response. He just stood and waited for a challenger.

"Don't draw your weapons yet," he said, just to the other two. "I have an idea."

He tried again.

"Is this where the legend dies? Taken over by a weapon? You've mastered every instrument of war you've ever gotten your hands on. Did this one beat you? I've heard the stories of you conquering cursed swords. I've heard of you being struck by magical ammo. We know you were one of the people to hunt down hexers during the last war. No weapon or magic ever stood in your way before."

If it affected Tetsuro at all, he didn't show it. The same glowing red eyes maintained an unblinking stare at Jinta, and Tetsuro's stance never once shifted or shook or wavered at all.

"Forget it, Jinta. He was a heartless killer before and he's a heartless killer now. This is just a good excuse to finally put him down."

Seiko drew her sword and stepped forward. Jinta felt the heat from her Power Within overcome him and mist filled the air a second later.

"Lucatiel and I will give you your opening. You just say what you need to say."

Lucatiel drew her Mirrah Greatsword and stepped forward with Seiko.

Tetsuro crossed the space between them in an instant, striking for Seiko first. She blocked and again Jinta could feel the air vibrate from the force. Lucatiel swung to cover Seiko and Tetsuro blocked behind his back and ducked under Seiko's next strike. Tetsuro slid out to the side and slashed at Seiko with one hand. With his other, he swept the back of his fist at Lucatiel.

The two women blocked and moved to counter together, but Tetsuro jumped back. His movements were nothing like Jinta was used to seeing of him, and Seiko could feel the change in technique more than see it. She looked back at him, just one glowing eye visible to him through her visor, and then they both looked to Tetsuro.

He raised an arm and sliced through his own gauntlet, coating the bewitched sword in his blood. Seiko and Jinta, more magically inclined than Lucatiel, could feel the sword's power radiate in response.

"Surround him," said Jinta. "I'll do the rest. Listen for my last word and step away."

Seiko and Lucatiel ran toward Tetsuro, but they fanned away from each other to the left and right. Jinta walked straight at him and drew a talisman. Jinta made no move to attack or draw his other weapons. Tetsuro waited, watching all three of them in turn until Seiko threw a Fireball at him. He dodged and rushed her. While they clashed, Lucatiel approached and attacked from behind.

Tetsuro spun toward Lucatiel to defend himself. Because of her angle, he turned while facing away from Jinta. In that moment, Jinta quietly began his prayer.

"Remember The Warrior of a foreign land and foreign God, chased by Death, who looked into the face of Valor. Remember The Warrior who faced legends before legends, who drowned in wolf's blood, wretched and weak. And beware The Warrior yet to come, born in Fire and Dark, who peers into the Unknown! For He will Smite!"

At the last word, said in a yell by Jinta, Seiko and Lucatiel stepped back. Tetsuro spun to attack Jinta… And was swallowed up in a ray of white light that struck him from above. He cried out in pain and dropped his sword. He fell to his knees under the weight of the light, then fell to the ground. Dead.

Lucatiel and Seiko knew the miracle well. Against a Hollow, it was a certain end. Even other Undead could hardly withstand it. And now, somehow different than the others, here lay Tetsuro in their midst. Dead.

A/N: Distant Future "credits" would play to Fading Light by Aviators

Twin Humanities: Duality, the sequel I've wanted to write for these many years, is coming soon. Distant Future exists to set it up. I've started on my novels as well. What follows next means a lot to me. It is the culmination of the work of so many people who gave me feedback, respectful or not. It is possible because of the interest you have shown in this story.

If you want to support my novels, which are unrelated to this project (sort of), you'll have to look for me where so many other artists have tried to find that help. FFN doesn't allow even mention of such things in specificity, so I'll have to leave it at that.

Please, do join us on the Discord if you haven't already. As things for the novels pick up, I'll release test chapters to the Discord to give followers an idea of what is in my future. When I start Duality in earnest, members of the Discord who have left meaningful feedback as reviews here will have access to chapters as they are being written and worked on.

Regardless of your decision, please understand how thankful I am that you have decided to read this far. I have grown even this much because of people like you. Gone are the days where I shouted my ideas into a void and been ignored, and this story and its tens of thousands of reads is evidence of that. It is all possible because you decided to stick with it. Sadly, the only thing I can do for you now is return that favor, and see this through to the end I envisioned back when I first started.

Wish me luck, and thank you again.