The Raven was fast approaching. The Prince and the Knight stood their ground, prepared to do whatever it took to keep the Raven from leaving their world, though they knew they could not succeed.
When he arrived, he rested his enormous talons on the cold stone mountainside.
"Hello, Prince. I'm surprised you even decided to show your face in front of me. Perhaps you aren't as weak as I thought you were." His black beak twisted into a devilish grin. "Or maybe you've elected to turn yourself over to me rather than fight, just like your coward parents?"
"My parents were no cowards. Their sacrifice was one of the bravest things anyone has ever done." Siegfried managed to keep his head and not let his emotions rule him.
"It matters not what you believe, or whether they were weak or not. In the end their sacrifice was for nothing. After tonight, I will have devoured your heart, and then not even your brave little Knight will be able to stop me."
Insulting his parents, whom he barely remembered was one thing. But to even mention Chevalier, his only friend he'd had since he was little, this angered Siegfried to no end. The Knight realized this, so he spoke up before the Prince could speak another word.
"We will stop you before that time comes. The Prince will never allow you to take his life." He turned his gaze towards his friend, for what he felt would be the last time he would do so. Then he whispered. "Sig, make sure you destroy that monster. It's time for me to do my part in the story."
"Chev wait-" There was fear in his voice.
But it was too late. Chevalier approached the Raven.
"It is time I do with this sword what it has wanted to do since the day it was forged: plunge it into your soulless heart." He knew what he was saying was nothing but talk, but he wanted to prove to the Raven that he did indeed have something to be afraid of.
The Raven opened his beak in a menacing laugh. "You do not stand a chance against me Sir Knight, no matter how much pride you have in your skills. You will die along with everyone else in this sad little world. It would be best if you just gave up now, and stayed alive as long as possible."
"I don't believe any of that. Giving up against a tyrant like you is never worth it." He said this to the Raven, but he wanted to make sure the Prince had heard. After Chevalier died, Siegfried would be alone. The Knight only hoped someone would be there to take care of him in the new world. He breathed deeply. I'm ready to see you again, Lorelei.
"If you won't give in, then come and let me kill you now. You haven't a chance." The giant bird lifted himself off the rock, and hovered a few feet away from the summit.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Chevalier ran off the edge of the cliff, and landed on the back of the flying bird. He readied his sword, but lost his balance and fell, holding onto the feathers so he wouldn't fall off the writhing bird.
The Raven twisted his head around and knocked the Knight loose. A he fell, he kicked off of a rock, and soared towards the Raven's head, sword ready to cause harm to whatever it managed to hit.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large shiny claw slashed at Chevalier's chest, just as he made a swing at the Raven's body.
There was a loud cry, and the Knight's body, sliced cleanly and precisely in two separate pieces, fell from the sky, down into the forest below. A few bits of black feathers, cut by the Knight's sword, fluttered down after him.
"CHEVALIER!" The Prince cried desperately.
The Raven grinned again. "It was always fate for him to die a worthless death. He's done for."
"Chevalier..." The Prince was alone. It was his sole duty to end the Raven's life, now. His eyes closed, fighting back tears, he held his sword in front of him. He wasn't sure how to wield a sword, but thanks to Lorelei's magic and Chevalier's abilities, the weapon itself seemed to be fighting. "It's time for me to end this. Raven," He spat the word. "It's time for you to die."
It was obvious at this moment that the Raven was slightly frightened. After all, the Prince was supposed to win. To beat the Prince, he would have to defy the story, which was not an light task. The wizardess Lorelei had been sentenced to death by her own blood just for changing one thing. But the Raven had a plan. Outside the story, those rules did not apply.
"I refuse to fight you here, young Prince. Instead, what say you we go to a place where our own decisions govern the outcome of the fight." This was true. But the next bit was a lie, and Siegfried knew it. "Here you cannot hope to win, because your destiny now is to lose. As a fair and regal bird, I will give you a choice: follow me to this new world, and we can have a fair fight. And, if we leave I promise not to harm your precious people any more."
This was the time to decide how the fight would end. And it was up to the Prince. If they remained in the story, odds are he would,indeed defeat the Raven, but at what cost to his people and kingdom? And should he lose, what then? But outside of the story, his pure heart could trap the Raven, halting his abilities until the Prince regained himself.
Finally, he said. "Our fight cannot continue here. Let us leave this place."
The Raven flapped his wings faster and faster, then he started to fly up into the night sky. The Prince sheathed his word, then leapt at the Raven's tail feathers, riding the monstrous bird up into the stars. He looked behind him at the mountain growing smaller and smaller beneath him.
A few moments later, the kingdom, full of flocks of human-sized crows, could see a flash of light in the distance, above the mountain. They had no idea who or what had caused it.
But then, all light left the world of the story, and everything there disappeared.
Because without the story's hero and villain, it was nothing.
...
Well, it's over. That last sentence was supposed to feel unsettling, but maybe I've read it too many times to feel that way. You'll have to tell me. I hope I made Chevalier's death... tragic enough. Oh well.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to ALL comments. Because anything helps.