1325

The two Gilmore brothers stood in the middle of the path, staring each other down.

"So then, why are you against this?" Allen asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" David asked back.

"Not really."

"Because if you keep at this who knows how many are gonna die."

"And how many more will die if we do nothing?"

"Don't know. But I also don't care, so there's that."

"Just because you don't care doesn't mean it isn't a problem. You saw how many died on Heaven's Mount because of them. No, how many died back at the village? Or in all of history?"

"And how many died in the dawn hunters?"

"How many times do I have to say they were killed by the monsters?"

"They wouldn't have been if they weren't fighting them to begin with."

"So? Are we just supposed to let them run free? Their sacrifices weren't in vain, that's the part that matters."

David looked down for a second.

"What even caused this? I think I already know already, but…"

"You do already know. It was on that day, where we saw how powerless humans are, that I realised monsters had to be eliminated. I could ask you the same question. What caused you to turn against me?"

"Watching everyone die."

"I see. Then there's nothing more I can do, if they've already convinced you."

"Next question. How far are you willing to go to wipe out the virus?"

"What do you mean specifically?"

"How many are you willing to get killed?"

"As many as are needed. It's not like I've worked out an exact number or something. Humans are weak. I thought that the virus would fix that… but it's still not enough. The monsters keep getting stronger regardless. If all we can do is die to pave the way for a better world, then that's what we have to do."

"...At this point, words aren't gonna solve anything, are they?"

"I've already decided my course of action. I believe you've done the same. There's no stopping things now."

David took a deep breath to prepare himself, before drawing his sword, pointing it towards Allen.

Allen froze up for a single moment before doing the same.

The two Gilmore brothers stood face to face, their weapons readied. Neither could say whether this fight was completely unexpected, or if it had been inevitable from the very beginning.

Without any words left, the pair dashed towards one another.

Allen swung first, slicing at David's chest. The cut was shallow. David swung down, grazing his brother's arm in response.

"He's stronger than I am," Allen thought "That's how it's always been. So I need to be more agile. If this turns into a test of strength, I'm gonna lose."

"He's smarter than I am", David thought "That's how it's always been. So I need to corner him. Turning it into a test of strength is the only way I'm gonna win."

They closed in again, trying desperately to turn things to their advantage. Both knew that a direct clash would result in Allen's sword breaking first.

He used the lighter blade to swing quickly, going for David's legs. One cut got in, before he blocked the next, sending Allen back. Refusing to give him the space, he closed in while swinging overhead.

The swing barely missed, cutting into the dirt. Allen, who had stepped around, stabbed into David's right shoulder, pushing him back. In response, David grabbed his sword with his left hand and swung upwards, cutting into Allen's right arm.

They stumbled backwards for a second, trying to assess the other.

Allen decided on a plan, going on the attack first. An overhead strike, more predictable than his last attacks. David deflected it, seeming to push him off-guard, before going on the attack.

David suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He looked down, seeing that Allen had used his free hand to stab him with his carving knife.

The second of distraction was also a part of Allen's trap, as he swung his sword again. David managed to just react quick enough to avoid the attack. It cut part of his face, but missed anything vital.

David stepped backwards, feeling the blood drip down his face.

"This hurts… it seriously hurts. Have I gotten weaker? Before something like this wouldn't have even slowed me down. I guess this is the pain that comes with living like a person, rather than as a puppet. But…"

He stared at Allen, sheathing his blade again as he planned another attack.

"I can't go back!"

He took the offensive this time. Allen slashed at him, but missed. David then got out his own carving knife and tried to stab Allen, but his movements were too obvious, so the stab was easily dodged. As Allen stepped out of the way, David knocked him down with a kick.

He brought his sword down, but barely missed. Allen quickly got to his feet and stabbed him in the stomach again, but with the sword this time.

David swung around, barely slicing at him again.

They closed the distance between them to slash again. Both strikes connected, sending blood flying.

They faced each other again and slashed again. This process repeated, both sides losing more blood than they thought possible.

Eventually, they were both left bleeding and out of breath, yet still refusing to fall.

Allen swung first, going horizontal. He was too hasty. David saw it coming and swung in the same way. It was too late to avoid the direct confrontation.

A momentary spark, before one side shattered.

The fragments of Allen's broken blade flew through the air. They clattered to the ground, as the two brothers paused.

"Just surrender already. It's over." David told him "We don't have to continue anymore."

"You know that I can't stop." Allen replied.

"Let's just return to living normally, like we were before!"

"I can't. There's already too much blood on my hands. Even if there wasn't… my soul refuses. From that very day, all I've wanted is to destroy those monsters. No, saying that I just want is too weak. The idea that they still roam around destroying so carelessly disgusts me, it torments me. Even if I were to stop this quest, that won't ever leave me. I can't return to our normal life anymore. This is the only path available to me. No matter where it takes me, I must follow it to the end."

He grabbed some more monster flesh. David rushed forwards.

"Stop!" David yelled "We can still-"

Allen bit down.

The change was instantaneous. In a single moment, the purple tainted his body completely.

A roar.

David knew that his brother was no longer there anymore.

The frenzied leader charged at David. He tried to counter, but was too slow for him. A punch that felt far stronger than what a person should be able to pull off hit him, stealing his breath.

David tried to recover, but Allen didn't need that time, so he went for another attack.

David blocked, but all this resulted in was his right arm breaking. He barely gripped his sword with his left hand and swung with everything he had.

The swing entered Allen's side, but he didn't even react.

David now understood the feelings of the monsters who'd had to fight against this. It was an overwhelming change in power. Unlike them however, he didn't have any power of his own, so against even just one he was helpless.

Allen beat him some more, before grabbing him by the throat. He began to strangle him.

David struggled in response. He tried to get Allen away from him, but couldn't shake him off with just one arm.

His sword had been dropped out of reach. His carving knife had been left on the ground somewhere. This left him with only one weapon.

He went for his last piece of monster flesh.

"This is… fine. If I can stop you, then it's worth it. I didn't… care about surviving from the start."

He raised it towards his mouth.

Before he could bite down, gunshots were heard. They connected with the side of Allen's head, knocking him down. His grip weakened, sending David crashing down with him.

"What, did you think that becoming the same as him would've solved things? There still would've been a monster left over, no matter what happened."

Maria asked that as she stepped out of hiding. Her eyes were redder than before.

David didn't answer that, just staring downwards.

"How long were you there for?"

"Not long. I showed up as he transformed."

"Oh. I guess the more important question is why did you even follow me?"

"Not sure."

"That's not satisfying at all."

"I know, but that doesn't change it. I've got no idea. I just felt like it."

She was interrupted by sounds from where Allen lay. He slowly began to move again, dragging himself towards them, his eyes only seeking to destroy.

Maria raised her gun, but David stopped her. He grabbed his sword off the ground.

Allen continued to pull himself forwards desperately.

David raised his blade into the air.

"See you around, brother."

The blade slammed back down into the earth. The mangled corpse finally stopped moving.

David stood there for a moment, before collapsing backwards.

The sun had finally disappeared.

He stared blankly. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there for. Maria didn't move either.

"I guess I just lost my reason to live. So how's your day going?" Was all he came up with after a while.

"About the same."

"Well, in my case it's more like I took it away myself. Hmm… I guess you were right about me not being human. Even now, after killing my own brother, I still can't feel as sad as I should. I'm just… confused."

"I'd tell you that you saved a lot of lives by doing it, but I don't think that'll clear things up for you. It's just… how it is."

David continued to stare blankly.

"I should probably change the subject," Maria continued "What do you plan to do now?"

"No idea."

"So you're just planning to die?"

David didn't respond. Maria kicked him after a few seconds.

"Seriously, I thought you were done with living like you're dead!? You're still alive, you know? Deal with it already!"

"Don't yell all of a sudden. Look, I just don't know. I have no idea what to do anymore, or how to live."

Maria kicked him again.

"Why this time!?"

"To get attention, I guess."

"For what?"

"I had an idea. Well, it's more just a thought. But back to the point, I know I've decided to continue and all, but even for me it'll be a bit difficult alone. I don't want… to be alone again. I don't think I'll be able to handle it. So since you're right here, that's convenient, right?"

David started to get up.

"Ah. No living just cause I told you to. This is what caused this problem to begin with, didn't it? So let's put it like this."

She paused for dramatic effect.

"I can't save you. But if you're willing to stand back up, and really live… then I can at least lend you a shoulder to lean on."

David considered this for a few seconds longer.

"Fine then, sure. We'll go with that." He finally stood up, before almost falling over. "I might have to actually take you up on the shoulder thing though."

"Heh? I was being figurative. I can barely stand myself, you know?"

"I just barely got out of a deathmatch, how do you expect me to stand?"

"Ahh, no choice then. You support me, and I'll support you. That works, right?"

"Yeah, probably."

The two dragged each other forwards through the night.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to ask." David thought aloud.

"What?"

"Have you even got any plans in mind?"

"I can't think of something this quick, you know?"

"We can't just return to how we were before."

"I guess. To start, we need to try somewhere new. Everywhere else… just has too many memories."

"I guess. All right then… even if we're dead, let's keep living."

"It's unlike you to say something like that. I thought I was the one forcing all the corny lines out here."

"I just felt like it. I felt that if I didn't say something like that, then I wouldn't be able to make myself continue."

With no idea what awaited them, the two forced each other forwards, resolved to continue living no matter what.

1317

The older brother dragged the younger brother across the hills.

They finally came to a stop, his strength having given out.

The younger brother still didn't respond. His heart was beating, but that was the only thing that still resembled living.

"It looks like we're the only ones who made it out." The older brother thought. "No, maybe it's just me."

The older brother's heart still burnt with a furious hatred for the monsters. The desire for revenge overshadowed anything else. But, he knew that alone he couldn't do anything.

Humans were powerless. After watching so many crushed, that was the one thing he knew best. Even if they weren't physically harmed, all it took was a little to shatter their soul.

An idea appeared.

"If I can eliminate the monsters, perhaps he'll return. Yeah… that must be it. They caused him to become like this, so if I can just get rid of it he'll return to living. But for the time being…"

He finally spoke.

"Stand up."

The younger brother followed mindlessly. Despite his being so tired he shouldn't have been able to move anymore, it was performed with ease.

He wasn't sure why he had the idea to give him the orders. But it worked. If his brother had lost his ability to live, then all he had to do was tell him how to live.

Until he returned to the world of the living, he would follow any order, without question. The older brother didn't have any idea of how long it would take, but the method was clear in his mind. All they had to do was hunt and destroy the monsters that had taken things away from them.

The brothers continued onwards, looking for a new beginning.