He felt warm. Safe. Well warm wasn’t quite the correct term. The chill was so subtle that it relaxed the muscles in his body, calmed his roiling mana, and settled his mind. Thought and emotion separated itself. He felt something, welcoming him, climbing over him, devouring.

“Kenan! What are you doing stupid boy!” Someone yelled. Noctis heard the voice, but it was mumbled, and garbled. He couldn’t actually tell what was said. However, he didn’t care. Couldn’t. He was finally, after so long, eons, going home. He had been waiting for so long.

“Goddammit! Wake up!” Kenan felt he was being shook. Fleeting thoughts formed. This was an annoying pest. Too bad he didn’t have control, but that was all about to change. “Kenan!” A stinging pain on his cheek forced his thoughts back into place. Opening his eyes, he saw a young Rufus. No longer did he have the dead eyes, sunken cheeks or messy beard.

“What?” Noctis asked. He looked around. He knew where he was. Nonesthic. His final resting place. Just a matter of time.

“What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” He shook with every word. Anger was clear in his eyes. Spittle flew from his mouth.

“Umm. Being dead.” Kenan shrugged. He had made his peace with his death just before actually dying. Or maybe he was just filled with such sorrow he was numb. He didn’t know which.

Rufus slapped him again. “Exactly. Why are you doing that? Huh? Are you really willing to give up that easily?”

“I didn’t give up” Kenan rebuked. In response, Rufus punched him in the gut. Then kneed him on the head, before pushing him to the ground.

“Wh..” Even before he got a word in. Rufus straddled him, pulled him up by his shirt. Punched again and pulled him up once more. Getting face to face.

“What about all of your promises? Just going to break them?” Rufus yelled.

Kenan grabbed Rufus’ wrist, and punched him back, in the face. Then he wretched the man off of him. “I haven’t broken any promises! My word was kept strong!” They met again. Kenan swung, but missed each time.

“How so? By leaving you sister and uncle? By not finishing the job?” With a hook he clocked Kenan. Who growled and tried to punch back to no effect.

“I helped free my sister, and helped avenge my parents!” In frustration he flung himself towards Rufus. Who sidestepped. Then kicked Kenan’s stomach.

“You said you would avenge them!” Rufus yelled. Then he kicked Noctis to the ground. “You said you would save your sister.” Again he kicked Kenan. This time turning him over to his stomach. “No gods, demons, or any dragon would stop you. You said that!” He stomped Kenan’s head. In defeat, Noctis no longer tried to move. “Yet you sit here, decaying away. Why?!” Another stomp. “Not only that, but you promised them Kenan! You made an oath, but you're not going to keep it!”

“I have fulfilled my oaths.” Kenan said, as only a whisper/

“Bullshit!” Rufus stomped harder this time. Then flipped Kenan around and lifted up by the neck. Choking him. “You said You would protect them. You said you would go back. Yet you're so satisfied with somewhat fulfilling your oaths with your old family, you break your new family's promises.” Breath was fleeting, and consciousness was quickly following it. “You never deserved the name Noctis!”

Suddenly. Jorun came to mind. His first ever friend, human friend that is. Geia, a new little sister. Hernie, who had mothered him since the first day they met. Siege, and his intricate present. A piece that made it known he was holding Kenan’s shoulder every step of the way. They all were. An image played out in front of him. Doco, knocking on the door. Sveige, holding the returned hair-pin. Jorun once again friendless, and Geia and Hernie crying.

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No. That wouldn’t do at all.

Kenan brought his head back, and then rushing forwards. Cracking Rufus’s skull with his own. Noctis’ assailant let go and stepped back in surprise. A quick combination of punches made Rufus go on his heels, then Kenan leg swept him. Noctis was about to go for another punch when he saw Rufus smiling ear to ear. “Good. Now you understand.” He held out his hand. Kenan took it and lifted the man up.

“Thank you.” Kenan said.

“Don’t thank me yet. I don’t think we have much time. So, here.” Rufus took off a ring from his finger and gave it to Kenan. Well, actually he forced it on.

“What’s this?”

“Me. All of me. Listen. I know what you are. Always did. I’m much more than you think I am. Do me a favor, you hear? Go to my home. Underneath my bed is a lockbox. The ring is the key. In it are a few letters explaining who I am.”

“Hold on…”

“Sorry, no time for holding. There is a letter with a dragon wax-seal. If you ever find yourself in front of Shio royalty. Mainly the queen. Actually just the queen. Give it to her, personally, and say it’s from Ricard. For me please.”

“Wait!” Kenan began.

“Kenan!” A voice came. It rumbled all through the area.

“No time. I’m giving my eternal soul for this, so don’t fuck up. I mean it. Kill that big ol green sumbitch for me. Save your sis and kiss your family.” Suddenly he started to become translucent. A blue light came between both him and Kenan. Before suddenly shooting into Noctis. “Good luck.” Rufus said as he completely disappeared.

***

“Kenan!!”

Noctis looked up. He saw that the ring of fire was now gone. Instead, a circle of guardsmen took its place. All of whom were injured and wary. Doco was rushing over to him. Before he took another step forward, Kenan held out his hand. His uncle cocked his head, invisible communication in the eyes took place. Doco nodded and stepped back into the circle of men.

Kenan placed his sword in his teeth and slowly stood up. Everything hurt, pain wracked every part of his body. His brain was off track. The only thing he could focus on, at the moment, was the fake blade waiting for him. Fortunately he thrummed with mana. A Lot of it. Not only, but his dantian seemed to have grown larger. Enough introspection.

As he stood straighter and straighter, he used more mana to both support his failing muscles and subdue the pain. He placed his sword back into his hands. Then, he bent down, grabbed the ring given to him, and put it on. “Thank you.” He turned towards the raging, one handed one legged orc. None of the guards had dared to approach the green-blood. He slowly walked there. Roshu looked up to him.

“Hahahahah! You still do not fall! This time around, I'll behead you!” The last bit turned into an angry roar.

Kenan walked right up to the orc. Lazily ducked an ax swing and his blade became lit with a thousand white tiny lights. Similar to his eyes. He simply flicked the blade. A slice appeared on Roshu's hand before falling off. The orc yelled and tried to staunch the bleeding with his other, broken hand.

Standing about three yards apart. Noctis pierced Roshu’s soul through his eye as he did nothing but stare. ”Convictions have been shaped by my strength. In this you are correct.” Kenan held out his blade to the side. A spark of flame started at the point. But it had light, teal, almost green coloration to it. Also, unlike regular flame, it didn’t whip and flicker at speed. Instead it moved slowly. “However. Convictions are found only when you are in the deepest pits of despair. And I have died twice to find them.”

Suddenly the spark exploded into a large circle. Covering about a 40 yard diameter of ground, except for where Kenan and Roshu stood. From the edge of the circle came a translucent, made of fire beast. A lion with wings. It ran the circumference, and as it continued, picked up both more flame and speed. When it reached the middle, it jumped in the air. Flapping its wings, waiting idly. Noctis lifted his sword with both hands. A word formed inside of Kenan's mouth. He wasn’t sure where it came from. “Apaollion!” He took a step forward. “Dance of the soulless beast!” He swung down as the lion dipped in the air. At incredible speed it roared, sending shivers into everyone around. Both blade and lion made contact at the same time. Noctis met almost no resistance as he carried through.

The lion dispersed. Seconds passed. Roshu's upper body erupted in blood. Covered in ichor, it looked as though he tried to put it back into himself, or tried to stop the out flow. He threw up life giving liquid. Kenan rested his blade on the side of Roshu’s neck. “Your soul is mine to judge” He brought his blade back, and forward. Decapitating the orc.

After a few seconds. Kenan dropped his blade, fell on his knees. He looked to the clouds. They just parted for him to see the sun. He yelled and yelled and yelled. Tears streamed down his face.

“Do you hear me?!” Kenan yelled. “I am Kenan Noctis of the Sorrowful Night! No demon, god, deity, lord, devil, monster, or fied will force me to destroy my soul! I will prevail!”

An oath heard, an oath made.