> Hours pass my spirit by
>
> As my face turns to the sky.
>
> Silence spreads around the room,
>
> As I contemplate my doom.
Lucius looked out the bare window as they spoke to themself. Their room was very spartan. No decorations. Not even a bed. Barely four walls with a single unbarred window looking out, and letting light in. There wasn't even another source of light.
Just a single door, a single window, and the strange, headless creature that was Lucius.
> Enter into my lair
>
> I promise I shall treat you fair.
Azrail slowly opened the door and stepped inside. He looked over at Lucius, who was still facing away and looking out the window. Without a word, he walked up next to them and stood beside them as he stared out as well.
"Nice room." Azrail said. "Very peaceful."
Lucius nodded as they held up their mask to look out the window. They didn't make any other notice of Azrail's place there, except for that small bit of movement after they told him he could enter.
"I've seen a lot of people over decorate their spaces." Azrail monologued. "Some try to show their taste through decorations. Others fill it with things they think they will need at some point, but most never end up using any of it. Still others cover as much as they can simply because of an innate fear of the empty space."
Azrail chuckled and shook his head. "It doesn't even matter what fills it. But there's just something about that blank canvas staring back at them. Something that claws away at their very soul. But you? You seem indifferent to such fears. There's not even a bed in here to occupy space."
Lucius had a blank expression on their mask as they continued to look out the window.
> You came here for a reason, did you not?
>
> Perhaps to tread where others fear to trot?
>
> So, ask your questions. Ask what's on your heart.
>
> Do not fear my answers. Go ahead, start.
Azrail smiled. "You're very perceptive. But, how could I not have questions? After all, I know who you are, child of the dawn. Or do you prefer Abbadoin?" Although his words sounded innocuous enough, there was a subtle hint of a threat underlying them.
If Lucius felt threatened at all, they didn't show it. They still hardly reacted at all to Azrail's presence outside of the words spoken to him.
> Do you think those names hold power,
>
> To someone of my caliber?
>
> If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
>
> Your words don't flatter,
>
> nor do they matter,
>
> Their strength is that of a flower.
"Ah," Azrail replied. "But flowers are strong. Quite strong indeed. Why, just look at a seemingly innocuous flower like Foxglove, or better yet, Atropa belladonna otherwise known as the devil's fruit."
He stepped back from the window and walked into the center of the room. His eyes went around the room again, and it was still absolutely empty of anything at all besides the two of them.
"I'm missing something." Azrail said. "Something obvious. But that's because you're hiding it, isn't it?" He turned an accusatory eye towards Lucius's back. "Whatever it is, you're keeping it just out of sight somehow. What are you so afraid of?"
> Fear? Fear is a foreign concept to me.
>
> You mistake caution for base emotions.
>
> I do not hide it from you for its sake.
>
> Or out of some fear you'll take it away.
>
> It is for your sanity I hide it.
Lucius turned around and aimed their mask's face at Azrail as they spoke to him as if he was nothing more than a curious, and yet disruptive child.
> You say that you know who I truly am.
>
> But you use names that were crafted for me,
>
> by those who could never understand me.
>
> But if you insist on walking this path,
>
> I will show you the truth and scar your soul.
Azrail smiled. "You know, gods, men, monsters, in the end, they're all the same, aren't they?" he said as he started to slowly walk around the room.
He lifted up his hand and casually dragged it along the wall as he continued. "They greedily hold onto power, never acknowledging just how close to losing it all they are. So certain of their stability, until the very last moment when it all crumbles away from underneath them."
He turned and looked at Lucius with an accusatory glance. "You can make excuses to yourself about sparing me from madness or whatever. But the spark is here. I know it. I hunted it for a while before I ended up here. And now the guardian itself has stumbled right into my lap."
Lucius turned their mask to the side slightly as if Azrail's monologue had piqued their interest.
"I'm burdened with your rival, so how could I not recognize my twin when they walk up to me?" he explained as he clasped his hands together. A small trail of smoke rose up from his palms before he pulled them away. "You may sit up in your tower, and think you truly understand, but your ignorance of what exactly hold up that tower is why your knowledge pales in comparison to what little I've managed to scrape together."
Azrail was becoming more and more haggard and excited. Very unlike his usual calm and composed self. He was much more like a wild dog staring down a piece of meat than the enlightened scholar he usually walked around as.
Lucius held no expression as they stated very simply,
> I held no knowledge
>
> away from men's prying eyes.
>
> You see, the knowledge
>
> is what condemned their own souls.
"Bah, more excuses. As I said, I understand it better than you possibly could. Stop stalling with your useless warnings and give me what I deserve." Azrail threatened as he took a step closer to Lucius.
Lucius didn't say anything else. They stood firm in their position as their hollow eyes studied Azrail with nothing more than a passing curiosity at best.
This seemed to make Azrail even angrier. He took a step back and held his hands down at his side as he got down into what was clearly a fighting stance. With practiced precision, he moved forward with incredible speed.
Lucius hadn't moved at all, and Azrail was already right up next to him. His hand flew out towards Lucius's chest.
Sqrk!
A squelching noise rang out as Azrail's fist passed completely through Lucius's body. He frowned as he pulled his hand back out.
Lucius stood there without any emotion as Azrail looked at his hand. It was completely clean. No blood, no viscera, nothing at all.
Azrail looked up at Lucius with scorn and spun around. His leg rose up, it and slammed into the side of the headless creature.
There was no resistance.
His leg moved through their body from one side to the other. Underneath their clothes was nothing but a strange gray substance. Like the fake meat inside a meatless chicken nugget.
Then, the clothes and mask began to melt as Lucius's body started to fall. By the time they hit the ground, there was nothing left but dripping pile of gray ooze.
Then, amidst the ooze a small mote of light began to come into view. It slowly rose up from the gray and floated in the air in front of Azrail.
"Finally," Azrail muttered with a smile as he stared greedily at the light. Slowly, he began to reach his hand towards the mote of light.