Chapter Twenty: The Truth Revealed - Fated Duel

Illumina landed in a river, flowing down into a waterfall. The water was shallow, and we both landed on our knees. Ike and I both ran to get the sword, but I rolled, grabbing Illumina before Ike could.

"So, this is the path you've chosen. Darkness and ruin," Ike said, shaking his head. "Only one thing might save you now..."

"I don't want to be saved," I said.

Ike tore off his silver cloak...

"You... you CAN'T BE! YOU CAN'T BE!!!" I shouted as loudly as I could.

The man that stood before me wore a ragged, bloodstained, long red coat. His hands were wrapped to his knuckles in white bandages, the left one stained with dry blood. His face was unshaven and his brown hair disheveled. He wore a black T-shirt and blue jeans, as well as leather boots.

There was only one thing that I truly recognized about him: his blue eyes. I remembered the eyes of my brother, if only for a moment; calm, gentle, and caring. They faded into the eyes of the man before me, which were icy and somber. I knew, though... he could only be...

"ROY!!!" I shouted angrily.

This isn't possible... Roy was never like this! He's not the Roy I know!

"I had hoped by fighting you, you'd get stronger... maybe even strong enough to help me save everything... but all you care about is power. I see now that this can only end one way," Roy muttered.

"What are you talking about...?" I asked angrily.

"We both what'll happen to you now..." Roy said, "because you took Illumina, and your soul was already tainted, you'll be corrupted beyond salvation."

"Who cares? I already lost everyone that matters to me!" I snarled at him.

Roy looked down.

"I won't let her take you," he said coldly.

"Shut up!" I shouted, charging at Roy with Illumina. He didn't move, though...

At the last moment, he pulled out his now yellow sword. I caught it with my spare hand, while Roy mirrored my move.

"We have hearts of twilight," Roy said, straining a little. "Within each of us flows the darkness, but more importantly, the light!"

We jumped back, letting go of each other's blades.

"And now my heart is saying it wants to stop you!" Roy shouted, jabbing a finger at me.

I could only chuckle at him.

"Unfortunately, our hearts are at odds," I said. "I need more darkness!"

I balled my spare hand into fist in front of my face.

"And we're supposed to be brothers," Roy said.

"'Brothers'... right..." I muttered, getting into a fighting stance.

The waterfall roared.

--------------------

Roy and I walked toward each other slowly. I was using my Cursed Seal, but he wasn't using any sort of empowering technique.

We reached each other soon enough. Our swords clashed and I looked deeply into his somber blue eyes.

It really is Roy... but why is he like this...?

We jumped back again. The water hampered my movement a little, but it didn't seem to affect Roy. He moved with speed and grace in the flowing water that seemed impossible.

He attacked me. I narrowly dodged his blow, but before I could actually parry it, Roy had moved in for another attack. I tried that several times, but Roy always had the upper hand. It was as if he was anticipating my movements...

Roy eventually knocked me back. I staggered up, bleeding from my arm.

"Is that all you've got?" Roy asked arrogantly. I growled in anger. I attacked him once again, but he nimbly dodged it. I parried his blow this time, and we were sent into a burst of attacks and parries. We stopped with a clash, then jumped back once again.

We began walking in circles, staring at each other. I looked at Roy with a look of contempt... but Roy kept his icy resolve. We attacked each other again, even though Roy still had the upper hand. He attacked my knees. I jumped over this and dove down on his head. Roy moved up to block it, and sent me flying to the edge of the waterfall.

Roy charged at me again. I pulled out Roy's memento sakaboto to use in conjunction with Illumina. When Roy got to me, I jumped over him, whirling a slash with both of my swords. Roy blocked both of them with breakneck speed, not even turning around to see what he was doing.

"Give me more credit than that, brother," Roy said. "I told you, I've been fighting in life and death battles for five years. What little skill you've developed is but a trifle against me."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked angrily. "Then why don't you finish me off?"

"If that is the only way to save you, then so be it..." Roy said quietly. A blast of blue energy flowed out of him, knocking me back. The water around his feet flowed oddly, surging around him.

When Roy turned around, his hair was tinted sky blue.

"This... is my Aether form. It's the same one I used before," he said. "It's been fun... but now it's over."

Before I could say anything or move to defend, Roy was behind me. He knocked me into the air. Floating, I could see him just standing there before he vanished. Next thing I knew, I was being tossed around in midair like a rag doll. I was blinded with pain as I flew around. After a few dozen strokes, it seemed like he was finished; he appeared behind me... but I wouldn't let it be that easy, so..

I stuck him in the chest with the sakaboto and cut the bridge of his nose with Illumina.

Both Roy and I fell to the ground. Roy staggered forward, and I stumbled back. He pulled the sakaboto out of his chest, which was now bleeding profusely, and clipped it on his belt. He then fell down on his hands and knees.

"Am I... being defeated?" he asked himself, breathing rather haggardly.

"Come on, get up," I taunted him. "You can do better than that."

Roy growled as he staggered up. He looked at me with that same icy resolve. He brandished his sword and lowered it into a charging position. I did the same. Everything seemed silent and slow as we charged at each other. Nothing made a sound, not the running water, not the water splashed up by our feet, not even our shouts.

We swiped our swords at each other.

Time resumed like normal as we shouted at the moment of impact. We stood still for a few moments, but I gasped and fell over, dropping Illumina in the roaring waters. There was a huge gash in my chest. I grasped it as blood began flowing out.

"Gh... you..." I gasped, holding my wound while Roy stylishly sheathed his sword. "You're not truly human... are you... going to kill me? Like everyone else?"

Fear finally crept into my mind, shaking me to my very core.

Is this... really Roy?

"I... I don't want to..." I said, shaking where I stood. "I don't wanna die!"

I ran away from Roy, but only a roaring waterfall met me, which trailed off into a dark abyss. I turned around, crying, as Roy began to slowly walk toward me. Water swirled about his bluish aura, parting beneath his feet.

"You're not even worth killing," Roy said. "Foolish little brother. If you wish to kill me one day, foster your hatred and despise me, surviving in an unsightly manner such as this. By all means, flee... cling to your wretched life."

A massive burst of aura flowed out of him, and I felt... he was more powerful than before. His aura was overflowing, causing the stone beneath his feet to rend slightly with each step.

"You... you bastard!" I shouted, making hand seals. My hand began crackling with electricity as he reached striking range. I charged forward at him, but he didn't seem to move...

He grabbed my wrist, and the electricity fizzled out.

"Is that all?" he asked, throwing me aside. I staggered back until I was at the edge of the waterfall. I couldn't run away, and he was closing in...

"You... whoever and whatever you are," I said to him, sniffling. "I will kill you one day, no matter what the cost."

I stepped back, falling off of the waterfall and into the dark abyss, ashamed and disgraced... filled with sorrow and rage...