Darkness clouds my vision,

Or is it only darkness that exists?

What, I cannot tell,

Yet I am without you.

I wander alone in the abyss,

Calling out your name,

Hearing it echo into nothing,

As I stumble over unseen objects.

Where have you gone? I cry.

Only silence answers.

Have you forsaken me?

Have you abandoned me in my time of need?

Still. Nothing.

I feel tears stain my cheeks,

As I continue my search.

Long ago have I forgotten my true path,

For I would not go on without you by my side.

But where have you gone?

Why did you leave?

Did you realize that this quest was mine?

And you were but an innocent bystander,

Swept away in my selfish desire for friendship?

But how determined you seemed,

Determined to stay by my side.

I cry out again,

Not knowing how long it's been since I first began,

Nor do I care.

I only want to find you,

To know you're safe.

Suddenly, a ray of sunlight pierces the darkness,

And my eyes gradually adjust to the change,

To revel your figure standing before me,

Outlined by a blurry film of light.

I've found you! I exclaim,

Reaching my arms out to embrace you,

But you pull away.

As if disgusted by my presence.

You left me, you say.

But I'm confused.

I argue,

Explaining I turned around to find you gone,

That it was you who'd strayed away.

You shake your head and softly whisper to me.

You strode too far ahead, you say,

Driving me away,

I cried out to you,

Trying to keep up,

But you didn't heed my plea.

And left me alone,

Alone on the Road of Darkness.

Your eyes slowly meet mine.

You have forsaken me.

No! I yell loudly, trying to hide the tears that threaten to fall.

I wouldn't!

I didn't!

How could you think?

My head is throbbing,

Legs weakening,

Heart wrenching.

I close my eyes, not wanting to face your icy gaze.

I cover my ears, not wanting to hear your cruel words,

Repeating over and over in my mind.

Even now, I hear you say as if right next to me,

You push me farther away in your denial,

Casting me from your thoughts.

Tears are now running freely from my eyes.

I try to speak,

Try to counter,

But only silence escapes my lips.

My knees buckle and give away.

You now tower over me,

Gaze striking me down,

Eyes searching my soul.

You are now the master,

I but the lowly servant.

Lowly was I? you ask, as the light around you enflames brighter.

My eyes flash open in surprise.

How could you?

My thoughts?

I want to face you,

To explain myself,

But I'm unable to face your penetrating stare,

It seems to grow stronger,

So I stay quiet,

Afraid of the thoughts that may begin to surface.

You step closer,

I feel you aurora grow warmer,

As my heart becomes colder.

I try to shrink further into my hole.

Wasn't the sweat and blood enough? you shout.

Your resounding voice wracks my body.

The tears and anguish, you continue.

The fears and sacrifices,

Was it all for naught?

Did I still fail you?

Did I not live up to my purpose?

My expectations?

The light is burning my skin,

Your words, burning my soul.

No, I try to say,

But my voice falters.

I never looked down upon you,

Never thought you lower then myself.

Didn't you?

The Burden was yours after all,

And therefore it was your destiny, and yours alone, that it was to be cast away.

Did that not make you feel noble?

Did you not feel as if your life was valued above others?

Yes! No!

I needed my life to fulfill my purpose,

Nothing more.

I did not desire life after the quest,

Nor did I expect it.

So, you lead me, your faithful servant, naïve servant, for I was indeed naïve, into certain

death?

I tried to dissuade you!

You insisted,

I tried to deny you but-

But you were glad I came.

Glad I blindly followed you into the land of hatred and despair.

I am silent.

Unable to speak,

For it was true.

I knew I was leading my dearest companion into certain doom yet I openly allowed his 

presence to accompany mine.

And now, continues the figure,

You strive for something I cannot reach.

'Tis something you too cannot touch,

But you keep running forward,

Forgetting your servant is following faithfully behind,

Slowly falling short of your steps,

Losing his way,

Becoming lost in the darkness you run from.

I now can't help but face the spectra.

Its glow has faded into a low shimmer.

Its eyes, a pool of pity and sadness.

I reach to touch its face,

Feeling my heart swell in agony,

But it again pulls away.

Even now, it speaks coldly,

You refuse to see me as an equal.

Will I never lose that title?

Will you forever remain "Master?"

I always thought of you as a friend-

And as your servant.

And by this I was known to others.

Not as my own person, but as your follower.

Its eyes narrow maliciously,

Like a snake before it strikes its prey,

And I feel my heart sink again.

But now!

The light around the spectra suddenly flares again as if a great strength has grown.

Now, it is you who shall feel the darkness I felt,

When I was deemed unworthy by your highness!

It spat out the last words with utter contempt.

'Twas you who first deserted me!

'Tis I who shall now condemn you!

My throat felt suddenly dry,

My heart suddenly cold,

And my soul suddenly lost.

Go now! it commanded, waving me away as some amusing jester in court.

Go now, and drown in the darkness you shrouded me in,

For you well knew I could not swim, but you threw me into the river anyway.

Fine then!

Anchor yourself into the sea but do not expect me to draw you up!

Suddenly, it felt as if my legs were gradually sinking, slowly but surely.

I look down and find my knees falling under a sticky substance,

It bubbles and claws at me,

Drawing me deeper within its dark realm.

I grow frantic,

Not wanting to fall under,

But as I struggle I just sink faster.

I cry out to my friend as my waist is breeched,

But only a cruel laugh reaches my ears.

It feels as if a dark hand had suddenly clutched my heart and tore it from my chest,

Allowing the blood to surge out over the floor in a pool of misery.

Help me! I cry, my voice raspy with anguish.

Please, I beg of you,

Don't leave me here to die!

Don't leave me here to wallow in the darkness!

I desperately throw my arms out,

Reaching for my savoir,

But he just smiles.

Its eyes look down at my pitiful body,

Struggling and grasping,

And continues to stare happily.

This is what you deserve, it tells coldly.

The lagoon reaches my chest.

Always expecting my loyalty,

Yet always leaving me in the shadows.

The figure's voice grows louder.

Always wanting me to protect you,

Even though you pushed me away!

The liquid is still rising.

'Twas my purpose to help you,

As was your was to bear the Burden,

But you wouldn't let me.

The sticky darkness grasps at my neck.

My breath grows shorter and my eyes start to droop.

I didn't mean to hurt you, I whisper softly.

My fingers twitch.

My arms are giving up.

The spectra is silent, as if contemplating my words.

My chin is falling under, and my elbows are gone.

I'm sorry.

Tears trickle down my cheeks,

Diamonds sparkling among the abyss.

I'm so very sorry.

Something flickered behind the being's eyes.

Like pity,

Or sorrow,

But only for a moment.

You deserve it, it says softly, as if trying to convince itself.

No longer does the figure smile,

And its glow has long ago faded to a mere shimmer.

The eyes burn of contempt,

Hatred,

Revenge.

The eyes of someone I once called my servant,

No,

My friend.

I'm choking now,

The darkness slips down my throat,

Suffocating me as I struggle for breath.
My fingers still strive for the light as my vision blurs.

Forgive me.

If life fails, at least forgive me.

My eyes are closing,

The liquid popping,

My hand reaching.

I guess my quest has failed after all, I think to myself,

For without your happiness, your well-being,

It was all for naught.

The one person that I felt the need to protect,

To help,

To save,

That was you.

But even you have turned against me.

Or was it me from the start?

Either way, there is no way out of this darkness,

For even my mind, heart, and soul have been plagued,

And this wound surpasses even the pierce of the Wraiths.

Pray, when will the torments end?

When will the trials be finally over?

My head has sunk under the pool of liquid despair.

This is it, I think numbly, almost amusingly,

It's ironic really,

Who knew I would die here,

Not among the minions of the Enemy,

But by the hands of a friend?

My lungs yearn for air,

Anything that will quench its thirst.

But I know struggle is futile,

And my death is evitable.

Then, just as I think I cannot hold on any longer,

Something seizes my trembling fingers,

And pulls me from my destruction.

I cough and choke,

Spitting the black substance from my mouth,

And saw a faint light from the corner of my eye.

Loe and behold, 'twas the figure that saved me.

I look up in gratitude,

Not only for recovering my life,

But for recovering a friend.

Tears start to form in my eyes as a smile spreads across my face.

Unfortunately, the spectra doesn't seem as glad,

Its eyes are dead,

Its face, a pale gray.

Nonetheless, I embrace my savior.

Thank you, I whisper through tears.

The figure refuses to respond,

Remaining still and unmoving,

And I am vaguely reminded of a ghost.

The black liquid slides off my body,

Staining the light of the spectra,

And engulfing it into the darkness with me.

But still I hang on,

Afraid we'd lose each other.

Thank you, I repeat,

Hoping it may stir an emotion,

But it looks down, still placid.

Forgive me, Master, it apologizes,

Water filling the rim of its eyes,

The opaque abyss dripping down its face.

I'd forgotten my place.

My place as your servant.

I pull away,

Astonished at what I've heard.

The figure continues to stare with a glazed expression,

And a silver tear slips down its cheek.

Oh no, I stammer, placing a hand against its face,

Gently running my thumb across his soft skin.

'Twas not you, my dear companion,

But myself that had forgotten his place.

My place as your friend.

I slowly reach up,

And plant a light kiss against the spectra's forehead.

Suddenly, the light around the figure fades,

As the void around us begins to grow brighter itself.

The darkness seeps into the ground,

Leaving only the light around us.

Then, as if the abyss's recession had somehow altered the figure's outlook,

My friend wrapped his warms arms around my and held tightly.

My heart lifted and the body felt like one of substance, not of spirit as before.

I've come back, it whispers softly,

I was lost, as were you, but I have now returned.

I feel hot tears blur my vision,

Allowing my emotions to express what words fall short of saying.