“Fire!”
Bearing the word spilling from Arioch is the calling of death. To the sky above dyed in grief, and now thousands after thousands of sparkling arrows fire through the hands of the knights of Hyram, may this moment be their last memory on this world? Darting from the rain of bullets to their beloved comrades, will they be glad that fate had chosen their path to intertwine till now, together at last is their final wish. Those bullets meet their destination, powerful enough to shake the entire ground. Arioch, seemingly thinking such move had blown away Averi, laughed, “Know your place, lowborn.” But never in his mind did he dare to think the truth was the complete opposite.
Through the faint smoke, rise a tower of lion shields above all, standing tall despite the destruction. Disgust looks across the King’s face. Annoyance burns his fists. Never could he accept such humiliation. “Fire!” He shouts, ignoring the hesitation of the knights. “Your Majesty, we will run out of bullets.” His sword stabbed deep into the knight’s heart. No one dared question the king’s authority. Arioch soon drowns in madness. Blood, he yearns to see their blood dye the snow. Death, he yearns to teach those who disobey. The scratch Cecil left starts to itch in Arioch's hysterical laugh.
Under such power, many have died. Their blood soaked the white snow dazzlingly. The second wave of piercing arrows once again rang through the air, yet only to be bounced back by the strength of the shields. No matter how many arrows are fired, the tower of shields shall continue to move forward. Fueling with utmost anger, commands after commands, piling. “Fire!” Another wave is incoming. “Fire!Fire!” Continuing waves. “Fire!” The more words he slips out, the more maniacal his tone is, to the point where the soldiers of Arioch begin to wonder, yet still, obediently execute the commands. The King no longer follows his orders as planned. For all that appears in this very own eyes, is one and only desire, those fools ahead must die. Crept deep into the core, the bloodlust burns the king’s lucidity.
How could this happen? Arioch growled in frustration before the scene of the tower shields. Their divine weapon, those bullets, never failed to torment the enemies, just to be defeated in this vital moment. “Fire!” Wrath fills his screams, yet only the silent gun barrels reply. A smile was drawn on Cecil’s wounded face as her gaze drifted to the scribe. Buried in a scroll of papers, the pen in his hand moved at the speed of light. Nothing shall be missed, for their children will judge inches of that madness. Alderic quickly catches the rare hope, raising the silver blade “Attack!” With that, Averi poured full force into Hyram’s frontline. Their blades immediately divided the formation and pushed them to the edge of chaos. The powerful storm finally forced Arioch to back down, and now, appearing from afar and to be closer with each passing second, is Alderic with the glistening blade in hand. Theodore, while still busy clearing the way, has picked up the crucial clue to be side by side with him to dash forward. A nod between those two is all that is needed.
CLANK…
Their bladework harmoniously dances.
Theodore sliced the knight’s abdomen while Alderic was already pointing at the silver piston. Soon, layer after layer surrounds the duo. Alderic swiftly shoves a huge chunk of snow then throws in full throttle, causing them to stunt in the freezing touch. It is now their chance to be one step closer to the commander. Throwing the last, collapsed body, those who had sworn to protect the precious King till his last breaths now only belong to a promise that will forever be buried in the depths of time. Within a blink of an eye, surrounded by corpses and torn-down weapons, stood only King Arioch. In those vibrating pupils, in those shaking arms, Arioch’s steps were staggering. Slipping through the blood puddle, he trembles to the ground. Raising his head up, his gaze meets Alderic’s sharp blade. “Any last words?” Instead, a smirk curved on his face. BOOM. An explosion tore open the earth, blasting both miles away. With the soft bed on their ground, thankfully no harm was to be done, yet the last image in their eyes was a flickering figure. Besides a Theodore heaving for air and whimpering in pain, there is an Alderic trying to lift himself up, the emerald pearls bearing all emotions fly open.
“Axl, my most loyal knight,” Arioch called in a reassuring tone. Like an instinct, Axl meets the familiar emerald gaze. “You know what will happen to bad boys, don’t you.” His words come with a cold smile. The clock needles start to run, and the clock of his hidden memory plays. Waves of painful kicks swallowed his begging. Fragments of torture tormented his mind. Axl crouches down in agony, cold sweats soaking his forehead. Deep in his bones, the beast is awakened. Notice the unusual, Reid calls out loud, hoping to break the chains, “Axl, don’t listen to him! You are no longer his tool!” His voice, like a water drop in an ocean, was forgotten in the opened wound that never could be healed. “Remember the flavor of blood?” How could he forget? Those days, Arioch himself poured down each bowl of thick blood down his throat. Down the dry throat, as if Axl could feel a faint scent of iron. “You were never a human, but my monster, Axl!” His words sent loud screams from Axl. Holding his head staggeringly, this body was no longer his. “Stop!Stop!” The dagger in his hand swings falteringly. “Stop messing with my head!” Summoning all the left might, clinging onto the broken memories of those short times, Axl tries to bury the beast now breaking from the cage. No… The images of Reid’s smile start to fade. No… Blood splashed on the warm smile. No… Wrath and bloodlust crept into each of his cells. No…
From the blurry sight of Reid running to his side, his voice rises among the song of the battlefield, reaching deep to the core “Welcome back, my beast.”
Standing still, Axl’s gaze drifts to his hands. This time, there is only blood. Looking up at the drab sky and the sight of the battlefield, crimson blood covered his sight. “Axl?” Turn around; only ashes are left.
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Reid startles at the familiar figure. The coldness of those bottomless eyes… As if they were traveling back in time to the first time they met. “Axl?” Reid calls again just to receive a silent response. Though their eyes meet, the slightest trace of the Axl he knows has been buried under thick snow. Holding the sharp blade, the cruel gaze pierced each soul. “Kill them.” Words slip from the devil's lips. The daggers swiftly moved their own, ripping the heart of Averi to pieces. Arioch’s ace card quickly proved his worth, as Averi’s lines were the ones pushing chaos. Under his cruelty, he colored the snow blood. Under his steps, only crimson thorns are left. Frightened, they run for their lives, yet how could they match the speed of a beast? In the maniacal laughter, the hideous killer has been reborn. Digging deep into the flesh, the awakened monster was eager to satisfy the bloodlust hunger. Crumbled ally’s trust in his feet, Axl brings forth nightmares.
Biting his pale lips, Reid comes at the man. With enormous force, his swords were able to block a deadly attack on a soldier. Crossing the blades, Reid forced Axl to back down a few steps. The dark gaze fixed on him in fury. “Reid!” Theodore’s call disappears in thin air. Facing each other, the world falls silent. A pure flake of snow descends from the clouds to end its journey at the tired hand, still holding onto the sinful blade with all its strength. It is no longer the soft snow that lingered on their gentle kiss, dyed in the warmth they shared. In this moment and space, still, the same patch of snow once, no longer embraced in such warm shade. The nectar of his sincerity that he felt that day has been replaced with unbearable bitterness.
A snowflake landed quietly on the corner of his eyes, rolling down his cheeks. The cold wind blows away the night-like hair, revealing the man’s gaze. He could no longer see his reflection in those clear mirrors again. Now, only bloodlust remains. Axl is tilting his head, ready for attacks. Still carrying fondness for the man ahead, Reid’s blade carries along the melancholy smile.
“No matter what happens, I will not abandon you.”
A programmed machine would do what was necessary to wipe out any obstacles that dared to interfere with its motive. Merciless and precise. Will Reid dare to fight back? Or will his yearning heart beg to stop? Neither are his choices, as there is only one outcome. Leaning against the wind, Axl is the first to engage in his deadly attack. Clank. Within a blink, the iron blades meet each other, to be side by side once again. Yet, such enormous force rested upon him, leaving the pair of legs shaking, for all he could see is… Nothing in those eyes. With great agility, Reid is able to redirect such a deadly blow. But it does not end there. The machine is not keen on letting its prey intact. Pouring a hail of attack, a crimson cut silently sipped out of the ribs. The scarred hand instinctively reaches out to the blooming pain. But why does it hurt so much? Leaning on the speed, Reid’s sword falls on Axl. Such force covered the two in a faint smoke of snow. Axl quickly responds with a strong force, steps firmly ahead, and the daggers quickly grant control of the battle. Lunging at Reid, the daggers targeted the weak spots. Cruel dyed each of his fearful attacks. Sparing no waste time, not a thread of mercy hint. Another cut on the arm quickly sends a sudden pain. The sound of colliding metals tore apart the snow, vibrating the song of tormented lovers. Not letting the rival rest, blood dripped from Reid’s shoulder, soaking the clothes. There was no sound, no screams. A dreary smile was drawn on Reid’s face. At least he has fulfilled his duty.
In the white veil draped over this land, a soul with a fractured body and a broken heart. A man who saw the cold snow as his friend, from the moment he arrived in his world, and till this moment he embraced the last bits. Ignoring the warm blood dripping to the cold ground, he feels the warmth it brings, to cherish it one last time. In the melancholy gaze, the dark eyes drift to the bloody blades ahead. Snow is painted in lovers’ blood. Snowflakes rolled down his cheeks, cried for himself.
Letting go of the swords, Reid reaches out his hands at him. “Axl. I know the man I know is still there.” Surviving through screaming winds and a fearful blade, the tormented figure smiled at Axl. Such carefree smile, as if this tragedy were merely a nightmare. “You have freed me from my own prison. You have taught me to love the gloomy snow.” Axl’s movements stopped for a second. “You have been born and lived as a human. A person I cherished.” In faltering steps, he approaches to startle Axl. The magical words sent a rusty growl at Axl. Holding his head, the man trembles on his steps. Shaking his head repeatedly as if his mind is fighting a brutal battle. “Axl, you are mine!” Arioch shouts in wrath. “No!” Screaming out loud, Axl falls to his knees, defeated. His loose hands rested upon the rose snow. Lifting his head up again, Reid meets the faint trail of light in the night-like gaze. Tears drop quietly rolls, falling down the cold snow. Bearing all the adoration at Reid, a smile hidden in the tears.
“If you love me, then free me.”
His begs send Reid into startles. Determinedly shakes his head, and a broken tone escapes his dry throat. “No… There must be another way.” Yet the heartache smile lingered on his teary face, already announcing his fear. “No… No, please. I can’t do it!” Axl’s left hand started to tremble intensely, forcing his right hand to grip it down. “Please…” Axl tries to control his trembling body. “I will hurt you.” A trail of blood hinted at his lips. Reaching in front of the kneeling man, Reid pulled a silver pistol out of his pocket. To aim at its final destination, Axl’s head. Pressing the cold barrel against the black hair. Click. The pistol is loaded. Drops of tears freed on his cheek, his hand jittery, touching the trigger. “Axl… I can’t…” His voice trembles at the sight of darkness slowly invading those loving gazes. “Please… Don’t leave me.” Harmonized with snow, tears quietly reached his shaking lips, to the cold pistol. Yet, Axl gently held the gun barrel, placing it on his heart. “When you are most outcast and sorrowful, please call my name.” Tenderness rested upon his warm smile. “How lucky I am to be something that makes saying farewell so hard.” One hand holding onto the pistol, the other holding Reid’s freezing hands. Sending the soft warmth, feeling the icy pearls on his hand. Quietly carving the silhouette of his, how unfortunate he could no longer whip away those teardrops.
“Axl. Finally, I understand!” Reid’s sobbing. “I love you!”
Waiting, at last, is a smile brighter than ever.
“Farewell, the beautiful creed of my life.”
Bang.