Disclaimer: In no way do I claim any rights to the characters of the Suikoden series. I do not own them, nor did I have any hand in creating them. Please don't sue as I don't have any money and just want to write a fanfic.
Only in Dreams
By: Chibi Nataku
Author's Note: Speech that starts with ' instead of " means mental talking. If a conversation is going on between Yuber and the Rune, it is purely in his mind, and assume that no one else is aware of the conversation, but can see any emotion that is displayed openly by the Rune-bearer.
Chapter 8 - Return from Bliss
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Yuber could feel that this battle would be different, could smell it in the air. The metallic scent that seemed to be associated with Natas was no longer present, instead, only a former True Rune bearer with nothing to lose. The fact that the Black Knight wore no armour unnerved him more than anything did because it gave him a good look at just how human the silver-haired man seemed to have once been.
Long silver hair traveled down to Natas' ankles and still carried that life of its own, some strands moving without command towards him as if to wish a battle of its own against him. The Black Knight was easily his height yet he seemed so much smaller wearing normal attire with a well-muscled form and unblemished tanned flesh. The long silk red shirt hung loosely around the silver haired man, as if Natas had lost more than a little weight over the years and managed to develop into a wiry but very agile young man. The black breeches were simple and close fitting, yet Yuber could see intricate black embroidery patterns that covered the waist and delved down beneath the Black Knight's mid-thigh black leather boots. Natas seemed all too human, except for his eyes. Blood red orbs still held the same commanding presence that would have entire armies cowering before him, the flame of hatred and demonic fury burning no less brightly than the day Yuber met the Black Knight.
Yet, in those eyes, behind all of the hate, anger, and demonic qualities, Yuber could see a young boy sitting in a corner of the Black Knight's mind, crying. The boy's hair had been chopped short with a dull sword and hung at uneven lengths, clothing that was all too large was literally clinging to the boy's figure, only the sheer will of the material holding it in place. Dark bruises, scraps and long scars marred the child, a tale of a tragic past. The boy was rocking himself slowly, in a world all his own while staring at the back of his little right hand. On the flesh flickered the True Rune of chaos, the Eightfold Rune. Yuber could hear the Rune's whispers of 'kill them', 'burn it all the ground', 'you don't know pain yet, boy'. He shuddered and withdrew his gaze.
"Don't pity me, Yuber." Natas purred almost contently. He knew that Fate had already proclaimed his death. He shifted his weight from leaning on his sword to standing fully upright, gaze fixed on the cobalt depths of the younger man. "I enjoyed every moment of the beatings that I endured all those years."
Yuber could feel his eyebrows go skyward. "How could you enjoy that, Natas?"
Natas chuckled softly, brushing stray silver hair from his eyes. "Quite simply, it made me into the sadistic bastard that you know and love. Oh yes!" He took a step towards Yuber, raising his long blade into an attacking position. "Don't love me because I'm beautiful, Yuber; love me because I'm evil and kill me."
Yuber shook his head slightly. "I can't kill you, Natas. You know that as well as I do." He drew his blade and prepared to parry any attack that was thrown his way by the Black Knight.
"Oh, poor little Yuber has grown attached to me? Well, we will just have to severe that bond now won't we? I refuse to bond myself to anyone." Natas felt his cocking smirk falter briefly and let out a soft sigh, as if the weight of the entire world rested upon his shoulders again. "No more talk now. We finish our duel that will end in death for one of us. Come, if you are man enough to face me."
Natas did not bother to give Yuber time to reply to him, mostly because the longer he spoke with the blonde, the less resolve he had to butcher the younger man. He had grown fond of Yuber, something that had somehow managed to sneak up on him while his attention was on other matters. He had been fond of nothing in his entire life, living only for revenge, murder, and himself. The only thing he was truly fond of was his sword, and it was a mere material object that had managed to keep him warm on the vile nights of beatings and rapes. Still, he could no longer deny the fact that he enjoyed Yuber's company, had felt more human with the blonde than he had since the first memories came to him as a child. He found his attachment to Yuber dangerous, wanting to be rid of it if only to satisfy his craving to be free of the rule of anyone. He had defeated whole armies, slay his mentor, and even forced a True Rune that was born with him to flee his strong will; yet, there stood a young man that attracted his attention and sated his small need for brief companionship. He forced himself to hate Yuber for it, too. The sooner he was killed, the better for them both.
"Natas!" Yuber shouted as the silver-haired demon charged him, grunting as Natas' blow nearly sent him flying because of the sheer power behind it. He growled as he was slowly forced to one knee, the grinding of steel against steel fading as he tried to decide the best course of action. He let out a small cry as Natas' leg shot out and slammed into his chest, sending him flat on his back, gasping as he caught sight of the sharp edge of the silver-haired man's sword seconds before his mind acted.
Natas smirked and turned around, eyeing Yuber as the younger man reappeared into existence behind him. He urged his Rage rune into existence, pointing at a bewildered Yuber as flames surrounded the blonde. He slowly approached, forcing himself to enjoy the sounds of the younger man's agonized cries of pain, nodding slowly to himself when the flames left to reveal a pile of ash. He barely caught the flash of moment to his left, grunting in pain as the blonde's sword smashed into his upper arm, the familiar feeling of shattering bone making him fall to one knee. "Hmmm, hit harder than I thought you would...." He climbed back to his feet and faced the blonde, smirking when Yuber merely stared at him.
'Boy, kill him. He's not worth your effort, and you know it. Finish the poor creature off so his suffering will end.' Yuber watched Natas charge towards him, sighing when the Black Knight teleport in behind him, a move that Natas had always been fond of. He swiveled, preparing to parry the obvious slash, gasping when Natas teleported again to remain behind him. He let out a grunt of pain as he caught a thin line of the blade as he too teleported away, shaking his head when he reappeared nearby, ignoring the feeling of warm blood soaking into his shirt. 'So, when are you going to start trying, boy? You know as well as I do that Natas will fall easily to you.'
'I can't...he's my fri...'
'Friend! Natas is no one's friend! He is an evil, blood-thirsty demon who lives for nothing but his own desires, never stopping to think about the creatures he massacres. He will not hold any feeling for you if you die at his hand, boy. You are stronger than he is so destroy him!' The Eightfold Rune watched from the blonde's consciousness, releasing a small portion of its power to drive Natas back, if only to make itself feel better about the reservation that Yuber had about killing the Black Knight. It wanted nothing more than to feel Natas' blood run over its body, to finally remove the one creature that had managed to overtake it in control. Natas would fall; it would be sure of that.
Natas growled when the True Rune stepped in to aid the blonde. He was at a severe disadvantage if the Eightfold Rune decided to play apart in his demise, mostly because he had promised it just before it had abandoned him that he would never fall to its control. Slowly, he was coming to realize that the True Rune would win, something that would only drive him mad with frustration in whatever place was after this plane of existence. Still, he would fight as hard as he could to face defeat with some honour to himself.
He reached and touched his broken arm, grinding his teeth as pain shot up his arm and down his back. "I will not go quietly...I know how to fight dirty..." He tightened his grip on his sword, looking around to find some aspect of the environment that he could use to his advantage, slowly running his foot over the ground, pretending to ready himself to an attack, smirking cruelly when the blonde fell into his trap, stepping back when Yuber teleported in front of him, their swords meeting with equal strength, despite the fact that he could only utilize one of his arms. He chuckled softly seconds before he lashed out, his leg sweeping Yuber off steady feet. To prevent the blonde from merely teleporting away from him, as their swords left connection, he smashed the hilt of his blade into the Yuber's face, sending the blonde crashing to the ground in an unceremonious heap. He would have finished Yuber right there had the blonde not thrown dust into his face, blinding him partially.
Yuber refused to miss a beat, his anger and frustration now driving him to win. He ignored the pain on his broken cheek bone as with it the blood that flowed freely down his face, and instead, he lashed out, his foot smashing into the silver haired man's midsection, forcing Natas back a few steps. He leapt to his feet, clutching at the blade that sung for blood. He charged in, his blade swing with such venomous anger that is would surely sunder Natas' weapon should the Black Knight parry him. He was not surprised when the silver-haired man teleported out of his reach, their gazes locking.
"So, now you fight." Natas commented, sounding much too bored for his own liking. He rubbed more dirt from his eyes and shrugged his shoulder, ignoring his protesting arm. "I suppose I had better start trying now."
"I won't lose." Yuber growled back to the Black Knight. He readied his blade, jumping back enough to avoid the flames that suddenly leapt from the ground below where his feet once were, smirking at Natas' slightly frustrated look. To say that Natas was good with his Rage rune was quite an understatement, but Yuber knew that his own strengths lay with the Lightning rune. He lifted his left hand and summoned up some power from his lightning rune, sending a bolt straight at the silver-haired man, blinking when Natas parried the electricity with his sword and sent it off to his left. He felt the True Rune claw forward in his mind, desperate to take another shot at Natas, but Yuber ignored its plea, promising it a shot later.
Natas sighed heavily as Yuber suddenly teleported behind him, swiveling on one foot to face the blonde one more, their blades slamming so hard that sparks few from the grinding metal. He leapt back a few feet as Yuber shoved away from him, smirking when the blonde attacked again. He slipped beside each intended hit, losing only a few hairs to Yuber's skilled blade, parrying any attack that dared get too close to him. He shot a leg out during the blonde's last attack, smashing Yuber's knee, forcing to blonde to fall all the while, he raised his blade, striking low and hard, grinning at the feel of steel meeting flesh.
Yuber bit his lip hard enough to draw blood to prevent a cry of pain escaping him as Natas' blade cut into his side. In revenge for the act, his own blade shot up, catching the Black Knight in the shoulder before swiping the silver-haired man's leg out from under him, surprised when Natas' hold on his blade slipped away and the weapon went flying off. He leapt after the Black Knight when Natas teleported away from him, cursing his luck as the silver-haired man backflipped back into existence in time to catch the still sailing weapon. He kept charging though, intent on finishing their battle. 'Let's finish this.'
'Now you are starting to talk sense, boy.' Yuber beckoned the True Rune into life in his right hand, tendrils of black energy crackling up beneath Natas' feet moments before sticky black webbing leapt from the ground and latched onto to the Black Knight's legs and midsection, preventing any sort of escape. His gaze locked with Natas' shocked one moments before he impaled the silver-haired man, immediately removing the blade and wrapping arms around the Black Knight to steady him. "Natas...?"
"...I suppose I should tell you that you did a good job, but I frankly don't feel you deserve it." Natas leaned heavily on Yuber, wrapping an arm around the blonde's neck to support his own weight, an idle thought that he could still snap the younger man's neck like a twig if he so desired. The thought leaked from existence as quickly as his blood now did. "I...suppose I should thank you. I would have never been able to leave this horrible existence if you hadn't come along...."
Yuber slowly sank to the ground, pulling the Black Knight to his chest, his hand searching out the mortal wound and applying pressure. "Natas...this isn't the best of times, but I just wanted you to know that you are my only real friend...It sounds stupid, I know, but..."
"I've never been called someone's friend before....Stupid...human emotions...." Natas chuckled softly, groaning when his laughter turned into a violent cough. Sure, he could try to force himself to heal the wound and lie unconscious for a few days, but he knew that the power of the True Rune that still wrapped around his legs prevented any sort of healing. The Eightfold Rune wanted him dead, and it would be sure to drain as much power from him as it could while he still lived. He shivered in pain. "If I knew that dying was this bad...I might have had pity on the thousands that died by my hand..."
Yuber forced a smile on his face. "I highly doubt that."
Natas smiled passed the blood running from his mouth. "Me too. You are the only one who will know what a demon looks like when he dies. I wonder...if there is a place for someone like me?" He felt his body being pulled closer by the blonde, a fond smile pulling at his lips. "Amuse me, Yuber. Where do you think people like us go?"
Yuber looked down at the silver-haired man and shrugged his shoulders, his gaze growing distant as he tried to reflect on some of the lore that Mia had once taught him about the afterlife. "Mia used to say that those who needed to improved on their lives would enter the cycle of reincarnation."
"Ah, Mia...You will go back to her, won't you?" Natas grinned when Yuber nodded almost shyly at him, a small blush creeping into the blonde's cheeks at the mention of seeing the lost love again. He let out a pained sigh, looking down at the sword in his hand. "I think I'd rather just not exist if I have to endure living again...."
"Natas?" Yuber asked quietly.
"Yes...?"
"Why did you choose to fight me?" Yuber noted the increasingly laboured breathes that the Black Knight was starting to take, a sickened churning in his stomach making him refuse to meet the silver-haired man's gaze.
Natas remained silent for probably a little too long, mostly because the blonde suddenly started to shake his shoulders. "I'm not dead yet..." He whispered through clenched teeth, setting up immediate mind barriers as the True Rune's voice started to echo in his mind. He refused to be taunted in his dying moments, rather, he wanted as much dignity as possible. "I... had to fight you, Yuber. You had managed to get past all my carefully laid traps and weaseled your way into my life. I...am fond of you, something that would destroy all that I am. I can love and care for nothing because I am a demon. I was raised on the smell of my own blood and the cold hard fist of my abusers....You are the creature that managed to..."
Yuber felt Natas' body go suddenly slack, his gaze widening as he shook the Black Knight again, this time receiving no response. "Natas! Don't go!" He pulled the silver-haired man's body to his chest and climbed to his feet, unsure of where he would go or what he would do. He searched his surroundings for anything that would lead him to a proper conclusion.
He was surprised when the True Rune came to life in his mind. 'Finish him, boy.'
'Is he dead?' Yuber asked, almost dreading the answer.
The Eightfold Rune grumbled and prodded at the mind of the Black Knight. 'As much as I would love to say yes, I'm afraid that the poor beast still clings to his fading life. Let's kill him slow and painfully.' It rubbed front appendages in anticipation, wanting to feel the Black Knight's weakness again; it had been far too long since Natas had begged for mercy from anyone.
Yuber looked at the body in his arms, all too aware that Natas was almost dead. He could do as the True Rune wanted and end the Black Knight's existence, or he could...
'We aren't going there, boy. The rules were stated before the battle; to win, Natas must die.' The spider started to build a web to torture Natas' mind with, humming old war tunes as it did so, if only to entertain itself.
The blonde sighed heavily and nodded, his decision made. He lay the Black Knight on the ground and reached for his blade, lifting it above his head. 'He never wanted to be ruled by any creature...most of all, a True Rune. Does this mean that the Eightfold Rune won?' He clenched his teeth together and brought his blade tip down....
*~*~*~*~*~*
Mia lifted the basket in her arms, smiling to all the villagers as she past them, intent on completing her minor task of finishing the laundry. She brushed stray locks of ebony hair back over her shoulder as she walked from town, slowly cutting off the main dirt road to follow the man-made path towards her cabin, mind on other matters.
She hummed softly to herself, shifting the basket more comfortably which meant moving it to the other side of her swollen belly. She prayed each night that Yuber would return to her, but over the long months, she began to realize that he would come back to her in his own time. She wondered if he would be able to find her even if he did wish to return, especially now that she had moved herself to the small town of Kalekka to live more quietly. She would sometimes lay awake at night dreaming of what he could look like now that they had been separated for so long. Surely things had changed in the way her lover looked.
She stopped abruptly when she came into view of her cabin, slipping as silently as she could behind a tree, hoping that she had not been seen by the mysterious warrior that leaned against her cabin. She had never seen a man wearing all black platemail before, especially not in town, though she had heard her share of rumors of an increase of vile creatures wandering the fields. Still, she could really catch no glimpse of the warrior's face, but she became increasingly aware that this man knew that she was here.
"You can come out, Mia." The warrior called only loud enough for the young woman to hear. He was not surprised when the ebony-haired woman wearily stepped back into the path in front of him, a fond smile tugging at his lips. He pushed off of the cabin to stand to his full height, hands going to his helmet to remove the protective piece of black metal. He smirked at Mia's shocked expression. "It's been a long time, Mia."
"P...Pesmerga!?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
Yuber sighed heavily as he walked alone in the World of Emptiness, idly brushing stray locks of blooded blonde from his face, wincing as his fingers brushed against his swollen cheek. He slowly made his way to where Natas had once stayed, stopping just outside of the small cabin. He really couldn't remember a time when he felt so numb.
He was not really surprised that the True Rune remained silent to him. He could not doubt the intelligence of the Eightfold Rune, mostly because it had survival skills equal to Natas. It was wise not to make a comment about the Black Knight for he was in no mood to listen and would probably put the silver-haired man's blocking skills to use against the spider.
He let out a heavy breath and shoved open the blackened door, watching it as it sway away from his touch, now leaning heavily on creaking hinges. The one room seemed so empty, all the shadows seemly larger and ready to devour anything that dared enter its mysterious depths. The hearth remain still aside from the occasional falling ash, evidence of the last fire they had had together; Natas only made a fire when he was awake. The floor groaned under his weight, the surrounding walls almost looking like they were about to cave in on themselves, the blackened wood cracking horribly over the years of long constant use and the odd temper-tantrum. Still, the emptiness felt like the greatest threat to him now.
Yet, his eye caught on a glimmer to his left, slowly turning to find what death-trap the Black Knight had left for him as he usually did. He was surprised to find himself staring at a newly polished suit of armour, an exact duplicate of the one that Natas had once adorned. He slowly approached, a hand reaching out to touch the armour as if to test whether or not he was just staring at an illusion. He shivered as the blooded tips of his fingers met with the cold steel, a fond smile tugging at the side of his lips with the mere thought of Natas walking around in this armour.
It was then that he noticed the neatly folded paper next to the armour, his eyebrows creasing in confusion as he carefully unfolded it, not wanting to damage the fine quality of paper which felt like silk beneath his fingers. The text was written in impeccable style, so much so that it would take a great teacher of script not to be able to tell that a once orphan beggar wrote this message. His eyes scanned over the note, taking in each word as he read it before finally going back to stare at the armour, his gaze switching from the paper to the black metal. "Mine....?"
Slowly, he searched through the armour, smiling when he found that all the parts were there and in impeccable condition. He quickly shed his blooded clothing, working with the only spare bandages that they had ever kept and stepped carefully into the set of platemail, surprised at how well it fit him, like he had made all the measurements and had the armour customs to fit his body. After he examined himself as best he could, he picked up the cloak that had been set out for him, smiling as the rich blue material seemed to move towards him. "Every Black Knight wears a colour that reflects their eyes...." He attached to cloak and stood tall, moving to watch the material sweep after him before finally nodding to himself.
He took his time to attach his sword and sighed heavily. Would this be the last time that he would ever visit it this place now that Natas was gone from it? His eyes flicked over the room, finding it suddenly very uninviting. He felt a fond smile tug at his lips as he ran his fingers over the red horns of the black helmet. "It's time to go back. I must see Mia again. Natas would want that, if he desired anything, really..." He shook his head and stepped from the cabin, gaze sweeping across the empty dust grounds. "Nothing will keep me from Mia, now."
He took his first step away from the months that he had endured as a mere apprentice of the Black Knights, now a full-fledge one. He knew little of his own Guild, aside from the fact that he was one of the only members. Still, he knew things that most normal people could not dream up in their worst nightmares, and now he was returning to the world of his birth from the ground. He would let nothing stop him from assuring his lover's happiness.
Foreboding lay in the back of his mind, one that he could not discern. It was like a dark cloud looming over his head, a trial of fate coming to him fast. He would face that trial, or he would run from it until it died, mostly because he lived forever and had much time to spare. Anything that dared step into his path to happiness, he would make their lives living hell.
TBC...
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Well, like I said, this chapter wouldn't have taken as long as the last one, and luckily, it didn't. I hope that the next one will be as equally fun to write. Thanks for reading. Sadly, this fic is drawing to a close, as much as I hate to say it, but a sequel may be in the books, however, whether or not you readers would like a sequel is completely up to you. Don't hesitate to let me know.
Only in Dreams
By: Chibi Nataku
Author's Note: Speech that starts with ' instead of " means mental talking. If a conversation is going on between Yuber and the Rune, it is purely in his mind, and assume that no one else is aware of the conversation, but can see any emotion that is displayed openly by the Rune-bearer.
Chapter 8 - Return from Bliss
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Yuber could feel that this battle would be different, could smell it in the air. The metallic scent that seemed to be associated with Natas was no longer present, instead, only a former True Rune bearer with nothing to lose. The fact that the Black Knight wore no armour unnerved him more than anything did because it gave him a good look at just how human the silver-haired man seemed to have once been.
Long silver hair traveled down to Natas' ankles and still carried that life of its own, some strands moving without command towards him as if to wish a battle of its own against him. The Black Knight was easily his height yet he seemed so much smaller wearing normal attire with a well-muscled form and unblemished tanned flesh. The long silk red shirt hung loosely around the silver haired man, as if Natas had lost more than a little weight over the years and managed to develop into a wiry but very agile young man. The black breeches were simple and close fitting, yet Yuber could see intricate black embroidery patterns that covered the waist and delved down beneath the Black Knight's mid-thigh black leather boots. Natas seemed all too human, except for his eyes. Blood red orbs still held the same commanding presence that would have entire armies cowering before him, the flame of hatred and demonic fury burning no less brightly than the day Yuber met the Black Knight.
Yet, in those eyes, behind all of the hate, anger, and demonic qualities, Yuber could see a young boy sitting in a corner of the Black Knight's mind, crying. The boy's hair had been chopped short with a dull sword and hung at uneven lengths, clothing that was all too large was literally clinging to the boy's figure, only the sheer will of the material holding it in place. Dark bruises, scraps and long scars marred the child, a tale of a tragic past. The boy was rocking himself slowly, in a world all his own while staring at the back of his little right hand. On the flesh flickered the True Rune of chaos, the Eightfold Rune. Yuber could hear the Rune's whispers of 'kill them', 'burn it all the ground', 'you don't know pain yet, boy'. He shuddered and withdrew his gaze.
"Don't pity me, Yuber." Natas purred almost contently. He knew that Fate had already proclaimed his death. He shifted his weight from leaning on his sword to standing fully upright, gaze fixed on the cobalt depths of the younger man. "I enjoyed every moment of the beatings that I endured all those years."
Yuber could feel his eyebrows go skyward. "How could you enjoy that, Natas?"
Natas chuckled softly, brushing stray silver hair from his eyes. "Quite simply, it made me into the sadistic bastard that you know and love. Oh yes!" He took a step towards Yuber, raising his long blade into an attacking position. "Don't love me because I'm beautiful, Yuber; love me because I'm evil and kill me."
Yuber shook his head slightly. "I can't kill you, Natas. You know that as well as I do." He drew his blade and prepared to parry any attack that was thrown his way by the Black Knight.
"Oh, poor little Yuber has grown attached to me? Well, we will just have to severe that bond now won't we? I refuse to bond myself to anyone." Natas felt his cocking smirk falter briefly and let out a soft sigh, as if the weight of the entire world rested upon his shoulders again. "No more talk now. We finish our duel that will end in death for one of us. Come, if you are man enough to face me."
Natas did not bother to give Yuber time to reply to him, mostly because the longer he spoke with the blonde, the less resolve he had to butcher the younger man. He had grown fond of Yuber, something that had somehow managed to sneak up on him while his attention was on other matters. He had been fond of nothing in his entire life, living only for revenge, murder, and himself. The only thing he was truly fond of was his sword, and it was a mere material object that had managed to keep him warm on the vile nights of beatings and rapes. Still, he could no longer deny the fact that he enjoyed Yuber's company, had felt more human with the blonde than he had since the first memories came to him as a child. He found his attachment to Yuber dangerous, wanting to be rid of it if only to satisfy his craving to be free of the rule of anyone. He had defeated whole armies, slay his mentor, and even forced a True Rune that was born with him to flee his strong will; yet, there stood a young man that attracted his attention and sated his small need for brief companionship. He forced himself to hate Yuber for it, too. The sooner he was killed, the better for them both.
"Natas!" Yuber shouted as the silver-haired demon charged him, grunting as Natas' blow nearly sent him flying because of the sheer power behind it. He growled as he was slowly forced to one knee, the grinding of steel against steel fading as he tried to decide the best course of action. He let out a small cry as Natas' leg shot out and slammed into his chest, sending him flat on his back, gasping as he caught sight of the sharp edge of the silver-haired man's sword seconds before his mind acted.
Natas smirked and turned around, eyeing Yuber as the younger man reappeared into existence behind him. He urged his Rage rune into existence, pointing at a bewildered Yuber as flames surrounded the blonde. He slowly approached, forcing himself to enjoy the sounds of the younger man's agonized cries of pain, nodding slowly to himself when the flames left to reveal a pile of ash. He barely caught the flash of moment to his left, grunting in pain as the blonde's sword smashed into his upper arm, the familiar feeling of shattering bone making him fall to one knee. "Hmmm, hit harder than I thought you would...." He climbed back to his feet and faced the blonde, smirking when Yuber merely stared at him.
'Boy, kill him. He's not worth your effort, and you know it. Finish the poor creature off so his suffering will end.' Yuber watched Natas charge towards him, sighing when the Black Knight teleport in behind him, a move that Natas had always been fond of. He swiveled, preparing to parry the obvious slash, gasping when Natas teleported again to remain behind him. He let out a grunt of pain as he caught a thin line of the blade as he too teleported away, shaking his head when he reappeared nearby, ignoring the feeling of warm blood soaking into his shirt. 'So, when are you going to start trying, boy? You know as well as I do that Natas will fall easily to you.'
'I can't...he's my fri...'
'Friend! Natas is no one's friend! He is an evil, blood-thirsty demon who lives for nothing but his own desires, never stopping to think about the creatures he massacres. He will not hold any feeling for you if you die at his hand, boy. You are stronger than he is so destroy him!' The Eightfold Rune watched from the blonde's consciousness, releasing a small portion of its power to drive Natas back, if only to make itself feel better about the reservation that Yuber had about killing the Black Knight. It wanted nothing more than to feel Natas' blood run over its body, to finally remove the one creature that had managed to overtake it in control. Natas would fall; it would be sure of that.
Natas growled when the True Rune stepped in to aid the blonde. He was at a severe disadvantage if the Eightfold Rune decided to play apart in his demise, mostly because he had promised it just before it had abandoned him that he would never fall to its control. Slowly, he was coming to realize that the True Rune would win, something that would only drive him mad with frustration in whatever place was after this plane of existence. Still, he would fight as hard as he could to face defeat with some honour to himself.
He reached and touched his broken arm, grinding his teeth as pain shot up his arm and down his back. "I will not go quietly...I know how to fight dirty..." He tightened his grip on his sword, looking around to find some aspect of the environment that he could use to his advantage, slowly running his foot over the ground, pretending to ready himself to an attack, smirking cruelly when the blonde fell into his trap, stepping back when Yuber teleported in front of him, their swords meeting with equal strength, despite the fact that he could only utilize one of his arms. He chuckled softly seconds before he lashed out, his leg sweeping Yuber off steady feet. To prevent the blonde from merely teleporting away from him, as their swords left connection, he smashed the hilt of his blade into the Yuber's face, sending the blonde crashing to the ground in an unceremonious heap. He would have finished Yuber right there had the blonde not thrown dust into his face, blinding him partially.
Yuber refused to miss a beat, his anger and frustration now driving him to win. He ignored the pain on his broken cheek bone as with it the blood that flowed freely down his face, and instead, he lashed out, his foot smashing into the silver haired man's midsection, forcing Natas back a few steps. He leapt to his feet, clutching at the blade that sung for blood. He charged in, his blade swing with such venomous anger that is would surely sunder Natas' weapon should the Black Knight parry him. He was not surprised when the silver-haired man teleported out of his reach, their gazes locking.
"So, now you fight." Natas commented, sounding much too bored for his own liking. He rubbed more dirt from his eyes and shrugged his shoulder, ignoring his protesting arm. "I suppose I had better start trying now."
"I won't lose." Yuber growled back to the Black Knight. He readied his blade, jumping back enough to avoid the flames that suddenly leapt from the ground below where his feet once were, smirking at Natas' slightly frustrated look. To say that Natas was good with his Rage rune was quite an understatement, but Yuber knew that his own strengths lay with the Lightning rune. He lifted his left hand and summoned up some power from his lightning rune, sending a bolt straight at the silver-haired man, blinking when Natas parried the electricity with his sword and sent it off to his left. He felt the True Rune claw forward in his mind, desperate to take another shot at Natas, but Yuber ignored its plea, promising it a shot later.
Natas sighed heavily as Yuber suddenly teleported behind him, swiveling on one foot to face the blonde one more, their blades slamming so hard that sparks few from the grinding metal. He leapt back a few feet as Yuber shoved away from him, smirking when the blonde attacked again. He slipped beside each intended hit, losing only a few hairs to Yuber's skilled blade, parrying any attack that dared get too close to him. He shot a leg out during the blonde's last attack, smashing Yuber's knee, forcing to blonde to fall all the while, he raised his blade, striking low and hard, grinning at the feel of steel meeting flesh.
Yuber bit his lip hard enough to draw blood to prevent a cry of pain escaping him as Natas' blade cut into his side. In revenge for the act, his own blade shot up, catching the Black Knight in the shoulder before swiping the silver-haired man's leg out from under him, surprised when Natas' hold on his blade slipped away and the weapon went flying off. He leapt after the Black Knight when Natas teleported away from him, cursing his luck as the silver-haired man backflipped back into existence in time to catch the still sailing weapon. He kept charging though, intent on finishing their battle. 'Let's finish this.'
'Now you are starting to talk sense, boy.' Yuber beckoned the True Rune into life in his right hand, tendrils of black energy crackling up beneath Natas' feet moments before sticky black webbing leapt from the ground and latched onto to the Black Knight's legs and midsection, preventing any sort of escape. His gaze locked with Natas' shocked one moments before he impaled the silver-haired man, immediately removing the blade and wrapping arms around the Black Knight to steady him. "Natas...?"
"...I suppose I should tell you that you did a good job, but I frankly don't feel you deserve it." Natas leaned heavily on Yuber, wrapping an arm around the blonde's neck to support his own weight, an idle thought that he could still snap the younger man's neck like a twig if he so desired. The thought leaked from existence as quickly as his blood now did. "I...suppose I should thank you. I would have never been able to leave this horrible existence if you hadn't come along...."
Yuber slowly sank to the ground, pulling the Black Knight to his chest, his hand searching out the mortal wound and applying pressure. "Natas...this isn't the best of times, but I just wanted you to know that you are my only real friend...It sounds stupid, I know, but..."
"I've never been called someone's friend before....Stupid...human emotions...." Natas chuckled softly, groaning when his laughter turned into a violent cough. Sure, he could try to force himself to heal the wound and lie unconscious for a few days, but he knew that the power of the True Rune that still wrapped around his legs prevented any sort of healing. The Eightfold Rune wanted him dead, and it would be sure to drain as much power from him as it could while he still lived. He shivered in pain. "If I knew that dying was this bad...I might have had pity on the thousands that died by my hand..."
Yuber forced a smile on his face. "I highly doubt that."
Natas smiled passed the blood running from his mouth. "Me too. You are the only one who will know what a demon looks like when he dies. I wonder...if there is a place for someone like me?" He felt his body being pulled closer by the blonde, a fond smile pulling at his lips. "Amuse me, Yuber. Where do you think people like us go?"
Yuber looked down at the silver-haired man and shrugged his shoulders, his gaze growing distant as he tried to reflect on some of the lore that Mia had once taught him about the afterlife. "Mia used to say that those who needed to improved on their lives would enter the cycle of reincarnation."
"Ah, Mia...You will go back to her, won't you?" Natas grinned when Yuber nodded almost shyly at him, a small blush creeping into the blonde's cheeks at the mention of seeing the lost love again. He let out a pained sigh, looking down at the sword in his hand. "I think I'd rather just not exist if I have to endure living again...."
"Natas?" Yuber asked quietly.
"Yes...?"
"Why did you choose to fight me?" Yuber noted the increasingly laboured breathes that the Black Knight was starting to take, a sickened churning in his stomach making him refuse to meet the silver-haired man's gaze.
Natas remained silent for probably a little too long, mostly because the blonde suddenly started to shake his shoulders. "I'm not dead yet..." He whispered through clenched teeth, setting up immediate mind barriers as the True Rune's voice started to echo in his mind. He refused to be taunted in his dying moments, rather, he wanted as much dignity as possible. "I... had to fight you, Yuber. You had managed to get past all my carefully laid traps and weaseled your way into my life. I...am fond of you, something that would destroy all that I am. I can love and care for nothing because I am a demon. I was raised on the smell of my own blood and the cold hard fist of my abusers....You are the creature that managed to..."
Yuber felt Natas' body go suddenly slack, his gaze widening as he shook the Black Knight again, this time receiving no response. "Natas! Don't go!" He pulled the silver-haired man's body to his chest and climbed to his feet, unsure of where he would go or what he would do. He searched his surroundings for anything that would lead him to a proper conclusion.
He was surprised when the True Rune came to life in his mind. 'Finish him, boy.'
'Is he dead?' Yuber asked, almost dreading the answer.
The Eightfold Rune grumbled and prodded at the mind of the Black Knight. 'As much as I would love to say yes, I'm afraid that the poor beast still clings to his fading life. Let's kill him slow and painfully.' It rubbed front appendages in anticipation, wanting to feel the Black Knight's weakness again; it had been far too long since Natas had begged for mercy from anyone.
Yuber looked at the body in his arms, all too aware that Natas was almost dead. He could do as the True Rune wanted and end the Black Knight's existence, or he could...
'We aren't going there, boy. The rules were stated before the battle; to win, Natas must die.' The spider started to build a web to torture Natas' mind with, humming old war tunes as it did so, if only to entertain itself.
The blonde sighed heavily and nodded, his decision made. He lay the Black Knight on the ground and reached for his blade, lifting it above his head. 'He never wanted to be ruled by any creature...most of all, a True Rune. Does this mean that the Eightfold Rune won?' He clenched his teeth together and brought his blade tip down....
*~*~*~*~*~*
Mia lifted the basket in her arms, smiling to all the villagers as she past them, intent on completing her minor task of finishing the laundry. She brushed stray locks of ebony hair back over her shoulder as she walked from town, slowly cutting off the main dirt road to follow the man-made path towards her cabin, mind on other matters.
She hummed softly to herself, shifting the basket more comfortably which meant moving it to the other side of her swollen belly. She prayed each night that Yuber would return to her, but over the long months, she began to realize that he would come back to her in his own time. She wondered if he would be able to find her even if he did wish to return, especially now that she had moved herself to the small town of Kalekka to live more quietly. She would sometimes lay awake at night dreaming of what he could look like now that they had been separated for so long. Surely things had changed in the way her lover looked.
She stopped abruptly when she came into view of her cabin, slipping as silently as she could behind a tree, hoping that she had not been seen by the mysterious warrior that leaned against her cabin. She had never seen a man wearing all black platemail before, especially not in town, though she had heard her share of rumors of an increase of vile creatures wandering the fields. Still, she could really catch no glimpse of the warrior's face, but she became increasingly aware that this man knew that she was here.
"You can come out, Mia." The warrior called only loud enough for the young woman to hear. He was not surprised when the ebony-haired woman wearily stepped back into the path in front of him, a fond smile tugging at his lips. He pushed off of the cabin to stand to his full height, hands going to his helmet to remove the protective piece of black metal. He smirked at Mia's shocked expression. "It's been a long time, Mia."
"P...Pesmerga!?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
Yuber sighed heavily as he walked alone in the World of Emptiness, idly brushing stray locks of blooded blonde from his face, wincing as his fingers brushed against his swollen cheek. He slowly made his way to where Natas had once stayed, stopping just outside of the small cabin. He really couldn't remember a time when he felt so numb.
He was not really surprised that the True Rune remained silent to him. He could not doubt the intelligence of the Eightfold Rune, mostly because it had survival skills equal to Natas. It was wise not to make a comment about the Black Knight for he was in no mood to listen and would probably put the silver-haired man's blocking skills to use against the spider.
He let out a heavy breath and shoved open the blackened door, watching it as it sway away from his touch, now leaning heavily on creaking hinges. The one room seemed so empty, all the shadows seemly larger and ready to devour anything that dared enter its mysterious depths. The hearth remain still aside from the occasional falling ash, evidence of the last fire they had had together; Natas only made a fire when he was awake. The floor groaned under his weight, the surrounding walls almost looking like they were about to cave in on themselves, the blackened wood cracking horribly over the years of long constant use and the odd temper-tantrum. Still, the emptiness felt like the greatest threat to him now.
Yet, his eye caught on a glimmer to his left, slowly turning to find what death-trap the Black Knight had left for him as he usually did. He was surprised to find himself staring at a newly polished suit of armour, an exact duplicate of the one that Natas had once adorned. He slowly approached, a hand reaching out to touch the armour as if to test whether or not he was just staring at an illusion. He shivered as the blooded tips of his fingers met with the cold steel, a fond smile tugging at the side of his lips with the mere thought of Natas walking around in this armour.
It was then that he noticed the neatly folded paper next to the armour, his eyebrows creasing in confusion as he carefully unfolded it, not wanting to damage the fine quality of paper which felt like silk beneath his fingers. The text was written in impeccable style, so much so that it would take a great teacher of script not to be able to tell that a once orphan beggar wrote this message. His eyes scanned over the note, taking in each word as he read it before finally going back to stare at the armour, his gaze switching from the paper to the black metal. "Mine....?"
Slowly, he searched through the armour, smiling when he found that all the parts were there and in impeccable condition. He quickly shed his blooded clothing, working with the only spare bandages that they had ever kept and stepped carefully into the set of platemail, surprised at how well it fit him, like he had made all the measurements and had the armour customs to fit his body. After he examined himself as best he could, he picked up the cloak that had been set out for him, smiling as the rich blue material seemed to move towards him. "Every Black Knight wears a colour that reflects their eyes...." He attached to cloak and stood tall, moving to watch the material sweep after him before finally nodding to himself.
He took his time to attach his sword and sighed heavily. Would this be the last time that he would ever visit it this place now that Natas was gone from it? His eyes flicked over the room, finding it suddenly very uninviting. He felt a fond smile tug at his lips as he ran his fingers over the red horns of the black helmet. "It's time to go back. I must see Mia again. Natas would want that, if he desired anything, really..." He shook his head and stepped from the cabin, gaze sweeping across the empty dust grounds. "Nothing will keep me from Mia, now."
He took his first step away from the months that he had endured as a mere apprentice of the Black Knights, now a full-fledge one. He knew little of his own Guild, aside from the fact that he was one of the only members. Still, he knew things that most normal people could not dream up in their worst nightmares, and now he was returning to the world of his birth from the ground. He would let nothing stop him from assuring his lover's happiness.
Foreboding lay in the back of his mind, one that he could not discern. It was like a dark cloud looming over his head, a trial of fate coming to him fast. He would face that trial, or he would run from it until it died, mostly because he lived forever and had much time to spare. Anything that dared step into his path to happiness, he would make their lives living hell.
TBC...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Well, like I said, this chapter wouldn't have taken as long as the last one, and luckily, it didn't. I hope that the next one will be as equally fun to write. Thanks for reading. Sadly, this fic is drawing to a close, as much as I hate to say it, but a sequel may be in the books, however, whether or not you readers would like a sequel is completely up to you. Don't hesitate to let me know.