~ Damn.. This is getting boring..
Zack was still floating in endless deep void, couldn't move his body even by an inch, his eyes rolling to every side. Darkness shrouded everywhere that he could barely see his hands, he felt as if he was falling down eternally in darkness.. But still what a knight he was that show no signs of concern, was this faith oh our burning knight, trust or hope?.. That you couldn't see in yourself...
"You still think he would come.."
A voice echoed in darkness, as Zack could saw nothing in his range, he sighs and spoke with resolute.
"Even if I wait here for eternity.. In the end he wouldn't let me even wait, for a second.."
"A being who has seen the deepest depth of darkness, you really think he would shine like a star for you.."
The voice said with slightly irritated tone..
"A star wouldn't burn in light.. It needs darkness to burn like a star..."
Silence spread everywhere as Zack's lips corners curved to a faint smile, he closed his eyes for a moment, oh our burning knight... You'll never burn for yourself, is this for others so that they can find that light...
Why would you burn?, you never understand that, is this your so called instinct you feel but can't understand... In the end you'll be alone burning for eternity in darkness...
***
Ender was floating on unknown, he felt his body had became light, so light as if he was in heaven, he gradually opens his eyes to witness the unknown around him..
There was light everywhere, he was floating on void of light.. So light that he couldn't see properly for few seconds, it started to dimmed and dimmer until he could see properly now, standing on empty space where everything was shrouded by white light, even him..
Confused where the hell he was now as moments ago he was fighting that strange entity, he checked himself to found no wounds on his chest and abdomen, is this some kind of special nature of entity that now he's here..
"Well.. What to do now?."
He scratches his messy hair before adjusting it. A thought pondered in his mind at this moment..
~ Zack.. Is he also facing this?.
He thought for few moments, his expression undreadable. As a familiar voice came behind him..
"You're such a fool, Ender Levin.."
Ender reflexively turned around to saw himself standing behind him. That Ender was wearing a dark coat while our Ender was wearing a white coat.. Seeing him, Ender's lips quivered, eyes stunned, a feeling like they had meet before...
"You?."
He murmured with awe, fear of unknown.. That Ender began to walked around the space, to turned around, his one hand lifted towards the light as he spread his palm, immediately his palm was gleaming in light, along with Ender himself...
"You don't even know how to use your trame.."
He mumbled as before our Ender could say something, he said, continuing..
"Let me borrow your body for a while, I'll show you how to fight as an Astran..."
A faint smirked appeared on his cheeks, not visible to Ender as he was turned around..
"First of all. Who the heck are you and what are you doing here?. Secondly, why would I give my body to a stranger?.."
With those words that another Ender slightly titled behind towards him..
"I'm the only one who has seen your deepest darkness, I'm you.. Yet I'm me.."
He said firmly with resolute.
"The fu*k you mean!."
Ender couldn't understand his words this time as well.. As the another sighs and starts walking in straight path, his hands in his pant's pockets... Away from him..
"It's up to you. By the way, that knight needs you.. You know?.."
He spoke, still walking consistently.. His words made Ender puzzled, as he started walking towards him as well. Both walking around the endless void of light.
"What do you mean?. You knew about Zack?.."
Ender asked as he continues without a pause.. His tone gentle this time..
"How can I meet him?. Save him?."
The other Ender stopped, his feet stood, he put his hands out from his pant's pockets.. Still not turning behind towards our Ender..
As the place began to shake, tremble as if it was about to shatter..
Then darkness started to appear by another Ender's side from his front, he still hadn't moved or say anything yet, then it's was about to engulfed him, he turned around towards Ender.. His expression weridly softened.. Ender was startled seeing this...
"Save that burning knight, let him shine by engulfing with our deepest darkness. So that he could shine like a star... Indeed, he's our burning knight.."
Ender was speechless as the darkness engulfed him in it's void, nowhere to be seen, now the darkness was coming towards him, he didn't moved, just closed his eyes..
~ In the end... This is my truth..
It was a truth.. As darkness engulfed him as well in it's void.
Moments later...
Ender was floating in endless deep void, his limbs floating as if he was drowning in water.. It was silence here, he could feel nothing. This was his truth..
He felt a faint light appeared on his face, he gradually opens his lightless eyes for them to widen..
"..Zack?"
He mumbled as his expression softened, behold the knight was floating infront of him in endless space.. His crimson-golden armour sparkling enormous light, like a star radianting in the deepest void..
Zack wasn't wearing his helmet, his expression gentle as his cheeks curved to a warm smile..
"You fool.. You were so late.. Will you burn with me?..."
As Zack who was struggling to move himself somehow extended his arm towards him to grabbed on, Ender didn't say anything as he used all his strength, everything he had, their hands finally clenched together..
As soon as they grabbed onto each other, a bright light born from their hands, so bright that it engulfed everywhere in the deepest darkness..
Both souls were burning within the light, this is the tragedy of the burning knight.. Oh our burning knight, you burned with the darkness aside you.. Oh Zack. D. Roy, is he your Yin and are you his Yang?...
***
BANG!
"Aragh!."
Ruis was being slammed onto sharp huge rocks pillars, to flying on the other side then slammed on rocky wall..
"Aragh!."
His clothes torned with molten claws visible on his chest, blood dripping from his scars, bruised and tired he fell down to his knees, the impact behind him causes a huge hole in rocks.
"Cough!."
He started coughing badly, blood flowing from his lips, his hairs dusty and as he clenched his reddish hands over small stones aside him which were because of the impact. His regenerative factor was on it's limit as the molten claws were slowly his regeneration as he could barely heal his abdomen.
Suddenly a spinning broken sword landed beside him as something in the distance was dragging towards him..
~ Damn it.. I couldn't even be the false knight..
He wondered while grinning, so much that blood dripped from his bloody teeth..
– In the end... You did well...
His inner voice tried to held him up.. Was it not enough Ruis Forst?.. When you declared to be the false knight.. To survive...
He remembered something say by his master in past. Kensi Takumara...
[ Past Memories ]
During college years, Ruis often visited his mother's grave when going to his home town.. One day, standing on his mother funeral, he scattered some flowers over her resting soul.. Then kneel down to his knees and pray quietly for a moment...
His master was behind him, praying as well.. As Ruis sighs; spread his palm over her soil, lifting it up and watch it goes down like sand.
His glaze softened, as he whispered..
"Should we fear death?.. When we have everything to live?.."
His master quietly waited, as he mumbled again..
"Why do we fear death?.. Because everything we had done will go in vain.. Is death the meaning of life?, if not... Then what is the meaning of life?..."
He titled his head over his master who was quietly listening to his words, he could see his face mixed up with thoughts, as he sighs and titled his head to right, declaring...
"There is no meaning of life... So live it by yourself, don't let anyone else play until you have it, live it so well that when you die.. You'll die without any regrets.."
Ruis gaze widened, as he sighs up before getting up and leaving aside his master...
[ Present Scene ]
Ruis had knew that the meaning of life... It meant nothing...
THUMP!
THUMP!
The creature heavy long legs started moving towards him. It's molten claws gleaming in dust.. Ruis lips curved to a faint smile..
~ I understand now... Why Misha had given me that trail now?...
He remembers that trail where he had died 9 times in dream... By her hands each time... It's pain wasn't fresh but it was still there...
~ I had feared death my entire life, preserving myself from danger.. Misha.. You had wiped my fear of death.. Thank you... Everyone.. Thanks for everything... Now I can die without any regrets...
– We are immortal my guy.. You'll just be gone physically, bitch... This will be our 10th time.. LoL.
His inner voice killed the mood.. Ruis expression became blank as he replied.
~...
He titled his head towards the entity who had extended it's claws over him. All of them pointed together at one point, then a beam started charging in that moment, Ruis closed his tired eyes. Waiting for it to happen... Oh Ruis Forst, is this your place as a false knight...
BAM!
The light energy disappeared as Ruis felt he heard something, he opens his eyes curiously, only for him to have his jaw dropped with blank face..
"Hey there buddy!. You ain't having a conclusion with us.."
Ender who was perfectly fine now and had his wounds regenerate, punched the entity straight to his face, making it off balanced, smiling at Ruis as Ruis mumbled..
"For real.."
As Ender slammed another one..
BAM!
Straight to it's gut, as some greenish liquid drops from it's mouth. It's try to swing it's claws over Ender just for it's arm to chopped off..
"Aghhh!."
Then another arm got chopped.. As from behind Zack only not wearing his helmet climb it's back to his head, entrapping around it's neck with his sword. Seeing Ruis in this situation, his wounds were regenerating faster than usual now, he chuckled..
"Yoo!. This one for you."
As Zack chopped off it's neck and jumped off, Ruis sighs and with all his strength, he kicked off the creature to many walls and pillars of stones, rocks and boulders..
BANG!
They slapped each other palms, celebrating.. Is this over?.
Arugh!
This time the scream was furious, burning in rage, so much that they all stopped right there..
"That thing is immortal as well.. Aren't rabocescous mortals?."
Ruis asked Ender, he was frustrated and tired.. As Ender sighs, pondering, Zack was seeing both of them bantering with each other..
"No.. That thing isn't a rabocescous.. I get it when I try to talked with it.. We need to cut it beyond it's healing point, so that it can't regenerate itself anymore.."
Ruis gave a lazy nod while stretching his arms up, round two was about to begin..