Dark Prince Ending

NOTE: For increased immersion, I highly recommend listening to the following theme (called the Wandering Sand Prince) whilst reading this ending. It is an unused theme from Prince of Persia TTT's early development version, of which this fanfic shares its name and takes a lot of influence from: watch?v=b0bjceRljqQ

As the two identical-looking Princes clashed (seemingly matching each other blow for blow as they bent time itself to their wills), the Dark Prince realized that in spite of this form providing great benefits in eliminating any kind of fatigue from impacting him again, his inhuman strength meant nothing to an opponent who possessed all of those exact benefits plus infinite access to the Sands of Time.

When either seemed on the precipice of death, the other just rewound time or slowed the battle down to get out of impending danger. When either sped up the clock to visibly increase their overall speed in the eyes of the other, they countered with their own variant on the power. Whether the Dark Prince was willing to admit it to himself or not, he was going to have to approach this battle from a different angle.

'Wait, that's it!' the Dark Prince thought over in his head as he continued to dodge the Doppelganger's incoming attacks. 'Those visions I've been seeing through the Old Man's power... If I can manage to rile him up, he's more likely to make a reckless mistake and give me the upper hand.'

'What's the matter Prince?' the Doppelganger quipped. 'I thought with all that power Kaileena gave you, that things would start to get interesting. But I guess I was wrong.'

'At least I'm not still whining about my lost humanity when no-one else is around!' the Dark Prince cockily stated.

'What did you just say?' the Doppelganger stated in a visibly agitated tone, continuing to fruitlessly slice at his formally mortal duplicate.

'You heard what I said,' the Dark Prince confirmed, landing on a higher ledge away from his opponent. 'Despite all the power you have at your beck and call, you're still approaching every situation as if you were still a weak mortal. What did you hope this conflict would accomplish? Some finality? A sense of closure or greater sense of place in this world? Or perhaps against all odds, a chance to have yourself restored to what you once were? Face it, you'll always be nothing more than a shadow. So you're better off acting like one.'

The Doppelganger yelled with righteous fury as he generated a projectile and flung it in the Dark Prince's direction. The Dark Prince could only laugh at his opponent's futile attempts to defeat him as he landed on the ground with stylish confidence.

'If you really want to prove yourself right, then come towards me and start fighting like the being your heart desires so badly... if you have the guts,' the Dark Prince taunted as he let out a mocking laugh.

In that moment, the Doppelganger lost all rational sense of logic and reason as he began to charge forward, his sword raised to take the Dark Prince's head off. However, this was the exact result that the Dark Prince wanted, timing the entrapping throw of his Daggertail just right to snag his pathetic counterpart in a trap that even a child could have seen coming.

The Doppelganger struggled to break free of the enchanted strength of the Daggertail, but it ultimately did him no good as the Dark Prince demonstrated a malicious facial expression.

'Now, you see. You're only proving me right you pathetic little worm. You should have listened to the advice of your own men and accept yourself for the magnificent godlike being you've become. But since you decided to turn your back on everything, I suppose I'll have to take control of affairs from here.'

'Wh...What are you doing?' the Doppelganger stated in utter terror.

'Oh come now. What happened to all that confidence and bravado you displayed when we first met? When you destroyed the goddess I loved over my former existence as a mortal, you seemed to be satisfied about it, much like the result I'm about to do to you. But with you ceasing to be a continued thorn in my side, the world will be progressed down a greater path of evolution. Humanity will find itself advanced into an entirely new species... a better race if you will, long after you're gone.'

'No, please don't!' the Doppelganger pleaded.

'Farewell.' the Dark Prince sadistically said, as the Daggertail became imbued with fire and burned the Doppelganger to dust as he screamed into oblivion.

The Dark Prince could only let out a satisfied, long-winded laugh. Against all odds, he had won.

Deciding to take his mortal form one last time, the Dark Prince returned to the Resistance hideout, confirming that the threat was over. And while it provided great relief for everyone present, they had no idea what newly refined horrors would be unleashed upon the world, as the Dark Prince let sand guards into the hideout, transforming back into what he now claimed as his 'true self' in front of the entire Resistance, displaying a confident order to his guards to bring them all in for 'evolution' as Resistance members could only delay the inevitable for a few more measly moments.

As the weeks turned into years, the Dark Prince continued to conquer the world with Babylon completely under his control (His newly appointed general, Darius, proving especially useful for bypassing India's defences and turning more innocent people to his ever-expanding, limitless army).

After all was said and done, the Dark Prince had finally accomplished the impossible. Humanity as it once was, was now nothing more than a faded memory long since lost to the mists of history for an overwhelming collective species expansion. And as he sat upon his throne (sipping some fine Mey while his female servants continued to provide him with any nourishment he desired), he knew he had succeeded, letting out an unnerving cackle.

He had... changed his fate.

THE END?