Chapter 7, Field of Light and Dark

> *"In the absence of evil; there is only nothing...or is there?"*
>  – Vor
>
>

Lancer immediately revved his bike and spun it around knocking Susie away with a loud POW. She went flying across the room. Kris watched as he hesitated to move. Before getting the courage however, Lancer would ram into him with his bike and smash him into the wall knocking Kris out immediately. Susie looked over at the scene.

"DAMNIT KRIS!" Susie shouted as Lancer then sped himself over to Susie.

"ONCE I START! I NEVER STOP!" Lancer shouted as Susie rolled out of the way of Lancer's attack. She then looked around for something, anything to turn the tide of this battle. She then got her eyes on a mace in a glass case, she ran over to it and broke the glass with her shoulder and grabbed it. Lancer looked at her with a cocky smile.

"Hehehe, Just what do you think your going to do with that? Your just going to hurt yourself." Lancer said with a smirk

"Only one getting hurt here is about to be your ass!" Susie said as she rushed him with the weapon.

"Yea no." Lancer said as he then grabbed some of his black flames from his bike and turned it into a fireball and threw it at her, Susie vaulted over it and then smashed her mace into the side of Lancer's head knocking him off his bike. Lancer rolled around before jumping to his feet. They both looked to each other.

"Well, guess you do know how to work th-" however before he could Susie would throw the mace at him with Lance dodging it casually. He then looked at her with a side look. She then stared at him with a angry face, she then heard groaning and saw Kris getting up shaking his head.

"Kris you good bro?" She asked before then getting rammed by Lancer's bike which he was controlling via a controller. The bike rammed Susie into the stairs and then backed up, Susie slumped over and grabbed her gut in pain. The bike the rammed into her again and again and again with Susie screaming in pain as Lancer laughed.

"SUSIE!!!" Kris shouted, he then looked to the top of the stairs and saw the hooded figure run up.

"KRIS! DO SOMETHING!" the hooded figure shouted at Kris who was thinking.

"Yes, pea brain Lightner, DO SOMETHING!" Lancer laughed as he continued to have his bike ram into Susie. Kris couldn't think of anything else and just ran over to Lancer who was distracted and by Susie and then uppercut Lancer in the jaw sending him back a bit. Lancer clenched his jaw in pain.

"That was a good one little guy." Lancer said

"Little? Your like 3-" but before he could Lancer headbutted Kris's chest so hard he threw up and fell over on his face.

"But THATS AN ATTACK!" Lancer chuckled and began to laugh when a large shadow came over him. He stopped laughing and then looked up to see Susie steaming and fuming with rage as she was holding Lancer's bike. She then slammed it on his head and smashed the ground under him which caused Kris to wake up again and step back. Susie then almost fell back, but would be caught by Kris.

"I got you." Kris said

"Yea right, you were about as useful as a school girl in a WWE Brawler." She said as she pushed him off of her, though she was slightly grateful. Lancer then rolled from under his bike with his face slightly bleeding.

"W-Well pea brains, you did much better than I thought. However this isn't over! This won't be the last time you will face LANCER! LEADER OF THE LEGIONOF SHADOWS!" Lancer shouted as he hopped on his bike and rode it out of a window.

"I EVER SEE YOU AGAIN YOU FUCKING TWIRP ITS ON SIGHT!!!!" Susie shouted in anger. Kris looked at her and then to the hooded figure who ran down the stairs.

"Thank you guys for that! You truly are warriors!" said the hooded figure, Susie looked at the hooded figure and then to Kris.

"You both did literally nothing." Susie thought to herself.

"You both did a wonderful-"

"Hey, can you take off that damn hood. It's hard to hear you when you got it on." Susie said

"Oh; apologies then. Guess I should properly introduce myself then." said the hooded figure as they took off their hood and revealed themselves to be Ralsie. A dark looking goat with his hat on as it shadowed his body.

"Ralsie?" Kris said

"Hey Kris. Glad to see you actually made it here. The Real you." Ralsie said

"Wait you two know each other? You been here before Kris?" Susie asked

"Sort of...I-I don't know. I use to come here in my dreams before, but now I'm **here** here. Ya'know?" Kris said

"I guess." Susie said

"Thats because you were called here from your untethered Universe to come and bring back the heart of light!" Ralsie said

"Our Universe?" Susie said

"There it was again, the heart of light. I wonder what exactly this is." Kris thought to himself.

"Yes **your** universe. Your universe lingers on the outer belt of the real plane. While deeper in ly the more prominent and primordial universes. Ones that never started or ended. Things that predate our normal understanding of the cosmic scale. Universes that disobey law and contradiction and are undimensioned and serve in a eternal fortitude of total utility." Ralsie said as Susie threw up her hands and walked away still not being able to believe just what was happening. Kris and Ralsie looked at her before staring at each other again.

"You mentioned something before. Something about the heart of Light? What is it?" Kris asked before Susie then bolted over and grabbed him holding him away from Ralsie.

"KRIS! What the hell are you doing??? don't tell me your really getting wrapped into all of this weird shit are ya?" Susie said, but Kris didn't have an answer. Deep down he wanted to do the same as Susie though. Disregard everything and just say "fuck it". Run away and find they're own way out. However something in him knew better, something told him that they were in the thick of something far greater than just going home.

"Sorry Susie...But I have to know." Kris said before he brushed past her and stood in front of Ralsie once again, Susie didn't know what to do. To follow Kris? or to do her own thing as usual. Better question was. Which one would lead her back home.

"If you want to learn more of the **way of light**; then I'd normally suggest the library, but ever since the heart of light was broken nothing has been right. Darkness destroys and distorts knowledge and time. Things that were once written and known are now no longer what they used to be. Witchcraft causes the words to lose meaning and the darkness stops all forms of casuality and death. Without the light the dead can't even die. Instead they are stuck to they're bodies; pinned to them like nails to a board. By the darkness do they spread. By the darkness do they walk and by the darkness do they yet live.

I have only limited knowledge on the heart of light as this is a dark town. However, I can educate you on the darkness, very much so. Especially being a darkner myself." Ralsie said which caught Susie's attention.

"Hold on; If the darkness is bad and you're a darkner. Then why ain't you tried to kill us? I thought the darkness hated the light or something?" Susie said

"No no no! The Light and Dark are a duality, forever in balance. Darkness however did once use to be used as a tool for harm; but after a brave darkner showed others that we could use it to help and not harm. Soon darkners and lightners shared hands for many years. Now the dark ages are back. Darkners aren't bad, not all of us." Ralsie said as Susie pulled Kris closer to her.

"So what kind of weird shit is this? Darkners use to do bad shit and now they don't? Shit smells too nasty to me Kris. I say we beat it and don't look back." Susie whispered

"We hardly have gotten a chance to talk and understand Ralsie. He's been helpful to us so far. To betray him now would be rude." Kris whispered back

"RUDE MY ASS! He is too suspicious! I say we beat it!" Susie whispered

"And I say we listen to what he has to say. Besides, we won't make it home without him." Kris whispered as Susie rolled her eyes and let him go. Kris looked back at Ralsie who was still standing near him.

"So...Where do we start on this quest for the heart of light?" Kris asked. Ralsie smiled and then gestured for them to follow him as he walked up the main stairs. Susie watched Kris and Ralsie walk up them as she just stared. She wasn't sure exactly what to think. Kris and Ralsie walked up the stairs and eventually walk down a hallway to which lead them to a large room. It was a old war room. Old and covered in cobwebs; however in the center was a tree stump, a large map in the middle with a knife stabbed into the north region.

"What is this?" Kris asked

"...A war room." Ralsie said. Kris looked around and saw suits of tall armor against the walls wielding swords that had a weird design to them. Strange, curved spikes to them. He saw a large portrait of a witch hanging above them. He looked at and saw her, this velvet haired witch.

"War room? Theres a war?" Kris asked

"I'm not sure anymore. I was left in this castle a long time ago by my parents. They joined in the battle against the darkners." Ralsie said looking down at the map. He slowly removed the dagger. Kris turned to him.

"Your parents betrayed your people?" Kris asked

"No, they turned against those who sought opportunity over hard work. The darkners may have been vile in beginning, but we earned our keep by using our methods for good in the end. **The Dark Witch** they admire and look up to is nothing, but a DAMN TRAITOR!" Ralsie shouted as he turned around and casted a fire spell; flinging it at the portrait of the witch on the wall. The fire shined in both Kris and Ralsie's eyes as it began to burn and fall apart.

"Dark Witch.." Kris thought to himself as he turned back to Ralsie who was heaving with anger.

"You despise her, don't you. Sounds like as if...she's responsible for the war that happened. Or the one at large." Kris said, Ralsie then caught himself being overly emotional and then took a breath, standing tall again he placed his arms within his large cloak. He then grabbed the map off of the tree stump and rolled it up; He turned to Kris and walked to hand it to him.

"Here, this is a complete map of the lands of Light and Dark. From the shining Kingdom of Arcadia; to the desolate and empty wastelands of the nether lands. This will take us to the first well. I've followed a few paths here and there, but never fully ventured out myself. Though I've heard rumors of it being around one of the old darkner outposts nearest to the fields of light and dark.

Our journey should start there." Ralsie said, Kris looked at the map and hesitated to grab it. Susie was so determined to get out of here; grabbing this map now means to throw all means of escape away. At least until the problem at hand is solved. However to Kris it seemed illogical to flee anyway. If there was a war going on they'd likely be swept up in it and they also had no lay of the land till now. Of course he could always just steal the map, but then he'd feel less like...well less like what his sister described him to be so long ago.

"You have the potential to do great things, you have a wonderful mind. A strong heart and a nose for adventure. Never lose that Kris; even if I'm not here to guide you back home." said the words of his sister in his head. Tears fell down from Kris's face and onto the map. Ralsie's expression grew to shock as he saw him. Kris's face was down and yet somehow he had a weak smile to him. A small sign that perhaps he could be just what his sister said all that long ago.

"I miss you Laura, everyday I wish I was as strong as you; could talk like and be you. I wish I had your friends and your knowledge. You knew how to talk to people and how to be better than the scum that brought you down.

I'm not like that..." Kris thought to himself as he then reached for the map and grabbed it.

"But...maybe; in this other world." Kris thought to himself again as he then grabbed the map firmly in his hand.

"I can be." Kris thought to himself one last time; his tears fading away in replace for a new look. One of **determination**. The two eventually would walk out of the war room. The two silent and steady. Kris looked at Ralsie. He saw a tired look in his eyes, he saw a look of desperation and yet steadiness. The look of someone who had been deprived of a life that most had.

"Tell me a little more. About what I'm facing Ralsie. About the darkners." Kris asked

"What you facing?...What your facing is a dying people...the last of a race of proud people who were manipulated into a horrible and gruesome war over a pity rivalry with the **queen of Light**.

But I reckon our history isn't what you want." Ralsie said

"Well, I don't mind knowing about it-"

"Thats ok, I'll tell you more about it as we go along. For now its better for you to know now what you face. Darkners like Lightners can't truly die. Instead our souls return to the Trees of Light and Dark. When a Darkner and Lightner is born. Our bodies are empty, nothing inside. Souls are formed inside the tree; how they're actually conceived or the process is unknown to me. However I do know that killing a Darkner doesn't mark death for them nor for the Lightners. Instead they're soul would be changed and go to a new body. A infant. A baby. A cleansed soul for a new body. However the darkness is now holding they're souls captive. Never allowing them to be free. Cursed immortality." Ralsie said

"Holy shit thats brutal, why would the darkness do that? is cause of the witch?" Kris asked

"Who else. The Witch used a magical sword, one that supposedly came from a mighty land; a land beyond anything this world had ever seen." Ralsie said

"What was it?" Kris asked

"The blade that can kill a god, one that was used to plant the seeds of the tree of Light and Darkness themselves and one that at one point wounded Vor the dragon.

**The Being Slayer**." Ralsie said, Kris's eyes lit up in absolute shock. That was the name! The same that Spamton had told him about; the one he was rushing him to grab! Kris's mind went into hundreds of directions with his first question being.

"Where is it now?" Kris asked stopping in his tacks mid-way through the hallway. Ralsie took a few more steps before stopping to think. His eyes then opened wide to and turned to Kris.

"Do...Do you plan to wield the Being Slayer?" He asked to which Kris didn't have a answer yet and instead stared blankly. Ralsie then turned from him and looked ahead towards the end of the hallway.

"The Being Slayer is what she used to curse the darkners with eternal life. Only **it** can set them free. Without, this whole thing will be for nothing." Ralsie said

"Why didn't you bring it up before?" Kris asked

"Closing the dark wells is one thing. Ending the eternal war between the Lightners and Darkners is a whole beast on its own. Our job is to close the dark well, with it closed the hold the darkners have over the lands will dwindle and some peace can begin again. That sword is nothing, but legend anyway. Such a powerful thing couldn't possibly exist." Ralsie said as he kept walking.

"But all those things you just said, those amazing things!" Kris shouted

"NOTHING BUT STORIES! Legends are legends because of rumors, because of myth. That is all the Being Slayer is. A myth. If it were true, don't you think the witch would have wished for the end of the Lightners." Ralsie said as he kept walking down the hallway. Kris looked down, unsure what to think or do. However, he knew one thing was for certain. He had yet another choice. Either close the well or find that sword. Kris and Ralsie eventually reached the bottom of the stairs where Susie was nowhere to be found.

"Where did she-"

"Go ahead and find her Kris. I'll meet you at the town gates." Ralsie said as he walked back upstairs while Kris then went to look for Susie. He stepped out of the dark castle. He took a deep breath and began to wonder the dark kingdom for a bit. He looked around the town and saw the many shops and homes, now no longer inhabited by anyone. The war had taken them away from they're homes and away from the warmth that was their families. It was bizarre and sad to see. These probably once noisy homes now empty and barren.

"SUSIE!" Kris shouted out as he continued to walk around. Eventually he heard the sound of loud grunting; he followed the noise when he eventually saw Susie punching at a dummy. It was barley a dummy by the time Kris had reached her.

"How long have you been here?" Kris asked

"Long enough." She said as she then threw another punch at the dummy; thats when Kris realized she had taken off her jacket. Her inner purple shirt now being all that was at her top. Yet it wasn't nothing vulgar Kris stared at in the end. It was Susie's muscles. He watched as with every violent attack towards the dummy, sweat flung off her arms and that with every throw of her fist. Her muscles would flex. He watched her stance, it was strong. firm; like a tree.

"You seem to know how to fight pretty good." Kris said

"My pops taught me a long time ago. I wanted to learn after...a horrible incident involving myself occurred. Something I couldn't prevent cause I wasn't strong enough. That...that isn't something I don't entirely like to think about." Susie said as she then took a step back and relaxed herself. She then pushed the dummy over and turned around to face Kris.

"So...You still going through with all that weird light and dark stuff?" Susie asked

"Yea, but I don't want to force you to come along with me if your not comfortable. I understand you just want to go home." Kris said before Susie then punched him in the arm nonchalantly. Kris grunted as he rubbed his arm.

"Ow, what the heck was that for?" He asked

"If you honestly think I'm just going to let your scrawny ass wonder around and get possibly beaten up or worse; than your eve dumber than I thought!" Susie shouted annoyed. Kris gave a smile as he looked at her. The two of them eventually sat against the wall of a nearby shop Both of them thinking to themselves about what was happening. Susie looked at Kris and then looked at his hands.

"So...Do you want to talk about what happened. Between you and Noelle I mean?" Susie said as Kris just looked down. His expression a little worried and even scared. Like as if he was in fear of what may happen in that moment before he answered he could hear it all; the rustling trees, the wind blowing past the abandoned homes and gravestones near. Kris's now pink eyes were showing a somberness to them, one that was unfamiliar to Susie who normally saw him as goofy and weirdly distant. His soft eyes then landed on Susie. She looked at him, her mind open and ready to listen.

"I...I..." Kris stuttered over his words before he slumped over. Unable to answer. It was if the trauma from what he had witnessed was so much his mouth physically couldn't speak the words needed to say them. Susie sighed as she put her arm around Kris's shoulder and pulled him close. He looked at her.

"Even if it's too much to say, a little at a time is always good. Think of it like a goal. One step at a time yaknow? Give it some time. We'll get the truth out of you and when we do we'll go home and tell them all." Susie said, Susie was right though, Kris hadn't told anyone. The events so horrific that remembering the events of what happened would simply bring him back to that night.

"I'm sorry Susie." Kris said looking to her. She then flicked his forehead and got up.

"Eh, Don't worry about it. Like I said, you got to spill the beans at some point. When you do though, I want you to know my view on you will not change." Susie said turning her head to Kris. Kris gave a weak smile before then having Ralsie show up from the path to the castle. The two looked to Ralsie who smiled at them.

"So you two ready to embark on this quest?" Ralsie asked, Susie got ready to refuse when Kris ran through her mind. She thought about what he said and about the life before this. She then looked at Ralsie an reluctantly nodded. Kris looked to her and then nodded himself.

"Glad to hear, Lets go then. Beyond the gates of this kingdom." Ralsie said as they then began to leave the kingdom they had arrived at before. Kris looked aback at it.

"Don't worry, this castle is your home and hopefully when we return, it will be the home for others too." Ralsie said as he patted Kris on his shoulders. Susie scoffed as she kept moving past the castle gates and eventually found a training area near a large gate. Susie went over towards it, she then saw a dummy that looked like Ralsie and was even dressed up like him too. Susie looked at it with a confused look, thats when Kris and Ralsie walked over to where Susie was at.

"Oh my goodness, I had completley forgotten this was here. My gosh. Well I suppose we don't know what cold be out there now. Best we practice a bit." Ralsie said, Susie grinned at the idea of violence while Kris did nothing and just simply followed. They all got ready for battle. Ralsie then looked to Susie and saw her using her bare hands.

"Oh my I almost forgot to say, as Lightners you two can conjure your own weapons." Ralsie said

"WE CAN WHAT!?" Susie shouted in shock, she then tried to do it by putting her palms towards the sky. Kris looked at his hand.

"Uh thats not exactly how it works. Weapon creation is all about manipulating the existing matter around us and turning it into something new. You can make weapons out of **anything**. Lightners don't have limitations when it comes to the imagination...or at least the ones I've met."Ralsie said.

"HEY! How do I even make this nonsense fucking work!?" Susie shouted

"It takes imagination and thought, but it also takes a bit of your **soul**. Your soul is the source of your power. With it you'll be able to create weapons from within your very being. A weapon that can do whatever you can. It is a extension of yourself. Focus your mind and command your soul to give you what you desire most." Ralsie said. Kris and Susie looked at they're hands and began to focus. As they did they could feel their hands begin to shake and vibrate. They focused their mind and as they did soon Kris and Susie would conjure they're weapons. Susie would create a large mighty axe and Kris; he would create a sword resembling what he had thought of in his mind. The Being slayer. However Kris's version of it was much less; fantastical.

"Nice job you two! You did a fabulous job!" Ralsie clapped as the two smiled at each other sweating a bit. Kris and Susie wiped their heads as they then both unsummoned their weapons.

"Well, I think the only good way to test these out is on fuckin heads!" Susie smirked as she then resummoned her axe slamming it into the ground.

"Well Susie I'm sure youll get your shot. Lets get going then. It's best we get started. The path won't remain clear for long." Ralsie said as he started walking forward past them. The two looked at one another before they also followed him. They began to follow a pathway with a large statue; around it was stoned statues of Darkners praying to it. Kris looked up to see it was the Queen of Light.

"Come on Kris." said Susie, Kris looked at her and then took one last look back before joining Susie.

"That Statue..." Kris said

"You know, a fun fact about the Light. If you look up at the sun it's actually not the sun. It's just a realm of pure light and magic." Ralsie said

"What!? No fucking WAY!" Susie said as she stared at the sun.

"I wouldn't recommend looking at it, it will cause terminal blindless...and instantaneous divine punishment." Ralsie said as Susie then immediately covered her eyes. Kris and them continued to keep walking until they eventually arrived at the **Fields of Light and Dark**. The fields were massive the trees were ginormous, giant white and black trees. Kris walked up to a tree and touched it. Kris could feel the depths of tree, he could feel it's history and its life all in one touch. It was odd. It was like he was reading a book, yet it was a physical object. Something even older than the universe he came from.

"Weird.." Kris said

"Yes, Lightners can read up on object upon touching it, at least if its something made from the light." Ralsie said when he then noticed it, a strange dim gray light shinning on the ground.

"Weird, that wasn't ever here before." Ralsie said. Kris walked over to it and looked at it.

"You normally have strange shit everywhere don't ya?" Susie said

"Not really. At least not like this." Ralsie said as Kris just stared at it. He then looked behind it and saw a small snowflake in the distance behind the woods.

"KRIS!" Susie shouted getting his attention.

"Come on lets keep going." Susie said as all three of them continued to ahead. As they did Kris and Susie could see shooting stars going through the skies, the falling particles off of them emitting a strange divine energy. Ralsie just kept walking as it was something frequently witnessed. The lands were almost alive, they felt like something much more. Like as if they had been here much longer than anything Kris or Susie had seen before. Thats when they then saw some dark footprints trailing on the ground, Ralsie kneeled down and looked at them.

"What creature made those?" Susie asked

"No, no creature. Just darkners." Ralsie getting up with a bit ore of cold voice. Susie and Kris looked at each other and then to Ralsie. He then noticed how he ws acting and turned to the two with a wide smile.

"Heheh sorry guys,

I'm not normally so serious I promise. I'll try to be a good guide I swear." He said with a bit of hesitance in his voice. Ralsie's eyes looked almost watery, even from his glasses. Kris could see how this was making him feel. He knew that feeling...he knew it too well. Kris then looked up towards the dark sky.

"Hey, why don't you tell me a bit more about the Universe. Ya'know something you enjoy." Kris suggested

"Ew, nerdy stuff? Really. ugh I'll be walking ahead." Susie said as she walked ahead of them. Ralsie looked at her and then to Kris. Kris gave Ralsie a small smile to which he returned.

"So, I'm guessing if you know all this math stuff you must be quite the whiz guy huh? Probably blast through math and algebra likes its nothing." Kris said

"Heh, Math and Algebra don't exist outside the Universe." Ralsie said

"Oh?" Kris said

"Yea, the Universe contains all the mathematical stuff, while it itself is not limited to math. It does indeed have it. The Universe is kind of weird, it contradicts itself, but never really does too. It's a weird thing. It holds all these figures and principles. Things like geometric science and mathematical formulas and all that fun jazz. The Universe was said to have been created when Light and Darkness mashed themselves together. They poured every ounce of what they had at the time into it. With that then came the upbringing of so many wonderful things.

It's honestly incredible." Ralsie said

"Yea, sounds like it. Hey; if we're beyond the universe right now what would that make us?" Kris asked

"...Pretty intense is all I can say. Same can be said for the Trees here too, These things predate the Universe itself; being unfathomable to it." Ralsie chuckled as he watched Kris's face. As they continued to journey forward Kris noticed wooden stick figures hanging from trees; they were small and positioned upside down. He stared at them as they swung in the wind, their stick like branches old and withering away.

"Those are little trinkets, made by children who still believe the witch will save us." Ralsie said

"The **witch of Darkness** right?" Kris asked

"Yes. She was the one who united us, who brought us up. Made us on equal footing with the lightners; yet when the time came for peace. She betrayed everyone and instead announced war. She annihilated any means of peace between the two.

She ruined EVERYTHING!" Ralsie said with passionate hatred in his voice, Kris stared at him and then looked up at the stick figures hanging from the trees.

"Don't worry. We're here to help you out Ralsie, we'll get it done." Kris said as he extended his hand to Ralsie, the shadows hanging over his hat. His pink glasses glistening in the shadows of it; hardly showing his eyes. Ralsie then exended his hand and shook Kris's hand before he kept walking forward. Eventually they met up with Susie who was looking down two paths. Kris and Ralsie approached her.

"Hey, you two finally done with that lore bs? Good, cause now I'm stumped on where to go." She said looking at them.

"These two paths lead to diffrent places, one to the shrines of darkness and one towards the old dark town. I think we'll get more results heading towards the town." Ralsie said as he pointed down the path.

"Ok then, I'm going down the other path then." Susie said as she started walking down the opposite way.

"WHA!? SUSIE WAIT! WE HAVE TO STAY TOGTHERE!" Ralsie shouted completely flabbergasted as Kris simply was watching back and fourth. He then remembered when him and his sister got into a argument over who would get the last cookie. They're mom had finished making cookies and he and his sister were fighting over which one got the last one. So they bet on a game of rock, paper and scissors. Only for them near the end to be stopped by their mother and for her to eat cookie cause the two were being too loud. It crushed their hearts, but looking back at it was funny too. Kris's eyes felt a little less sad at his situation than before. He looked over and saw that Susie and Ralsie were still arguing over which way to go so he decided to wonder off. He walked around a bit more and as he did he saw handprints on the ground. Kris's eyes followed them as they went down a pathway leading towards a downward hill. He looked back at Susie and Ralsie, he wanted to speak and let them know; but decided against it. He then walked over and followed the path.

As he did he would see the that bushes around him were stained with some black like liquid. Kris was hesitant, but he gripped his hand and reassured himself as he reached over and touched it. He barely would touch it with a single finger before immediate flashes of Noelle and the incident that had occurred went flashing through his head, Kris was in such a panic he didn't even scream; he simply fell over and gasped for air. He rolled over onto his hands and knees as sweat fell from his head. Somehow...the idea of going back to his own world. To face those events...was much more freighting. Kris's head shook as he stood up and breathed heavily, his face was ghastly. Like he had nearly been met with death. He then heard the sound of shuffling, it wasn't behind him, it wasn't Infront of him. Yet instead it was next to him. His eyes slowly turned in horror towards the hill. However, whatever was going up then retreated into the bushes, Kris immediately summoned his sword as he watched whatever it was shuffling in the bushes stop in the bush Infront of him. Kris's eyes were wide open with fear, he should have called for Susie and Ralsie. He tried to not feel it, feel that dread, that despair, but it was there. Everything was there. He wasn't ready.

He simply wanted a way out, a way not to deal with what was going on back home, how could he? It wasn't his fault, was it? He didn't even know anymore. Th whole event. Everything....ITS ALL FUCKED! EVERYTING IS FUCKED! HOW CAN HE GO BACK HOME!? EVERYONE HATES! HE HATES HIMSELF! THE WORLD HATES HIM! HE WAS PUT INTO THE SAME CATEGORY AS ALL THE SCUM OF THE EARTH! MAYBE HE SHOULD JUST LET WHATEVER THIS THING IS KILL HIM AND GET IT OVER WITH! WHY SHOULD A MAN LIKE HIM LIVE WHEN SOMEONE ELSE HAD EVERYTHING TORN AWAY FROM THEM!?

WHY-

"Shhhhhhh." whispered a voice in the bushes, Kris's heart sunk; his entire head was starting to sweat. He could feel every part of his body shaking.

"I can feel your anguish, that guilt, that sorrow. You hate yourself, but not because of what you did, but of what you haven't done yet. You despise the fact that you can't come to terms with your own guilt. You let her suffer, you let it happen. Didn't you?" said the voice, Kris didn't know what to say. He was in shock.

"Do you wish you had been the one to rape her? That way, at least you would have absolute certainty that your piece of garbage; but it's killing you inside. That uncertainty. That not knowing. You don't want to remember. Not cause you're afraid, but because it'll tear you up inside knowing just how much you could have done to prevent it." said the voice, Kris's eyes began to swell with tears dropping his blade. Was that really why? He was afraid. multiple hands then began to emerge from the bush and touch his face and cup his cheeks. Each hand being different than the other.

"But don't worry, here you can run away. Run away from responsibility, run away from your family. Run away from **her**. **R U N A W A Y F R O M H I M**." said the voice, Kris's mouth was left agape as he watched a head peer out from the bushes. Yet it wasn't that of a monster, but instead was that of Noelle's. Kris's eyes shook immensely.

"...Kris...Why are you still alive?" Noelle said, Kris then screamed as in hysterical panic as he ran off. Ralsie and Susie immediately turned their heads to see Kris running away drastically and in a cold sweat.

"KRIS! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" shouted Susie as she ran after him, Ralsie went to go after them, but then noticed the movement of something in bushes near him stopping his pursuit of Kris. Susie chased after Kris as he ran at such a insane speed. Susie could barley keep him in sight.

"KRIS WAIT! WHATS WRONG! DAMNIT SLOW DOWN!!!" Susie screamed out to him, but Kris wasn't thinking, he was in a complete panic. All he his knowledge and cognitive thought completely gone. All he desired was to be away, far away. Susie pushed herself further to try and catch up to Kris.

"SLOOOWW DOOOWN!!!" She shouted as she then finally caught up and grabbed his arm, however out of sheer reaction. Kris turned around and threw a punch at Susie. However, Susie would catch just in time, the attack nearly getting her.

"HEY WHATS THE BIG IDEA!?" Susie shouted as Kris simply just tried to get away, but Susie was too strong and he wasn't budging.

"Just speak damnit!" Susie shouted again, but Kris wasn't listening and kept trying to escape.

"I SAID!" Susie shouted as she then reeled her head back.

"STOP FUCKING MOVING!!!!" She shouted as she then headbutt Kris causing him to fall backwards, He landed on his butt and grabbed his head in pain. Susie shook her head as she looked down at him. Kris's palms and body were sweaty, he could himself shaking violently. Susie took a knee and looked at his eyes, she saw how dazed he was. His eyes were shaky and his body trembling.

She took a deep breath and stood up. She then looked around and spotted a nearby lone tree, her eyes then back to Kris.

"Come on." She said to Kris, His eyes looked up at her; her hand was extended out to him. Her hand was big and clawed, yet somehow reminded him of his mother. He shakily took her hand. Susie gripped his hand tightly and then lead him away from where they were and towards the one tree. They both eventually would stop in front of it.

"Kris, What color is the tree here?" Susie asked, Kris looked at her slightly confused and then looked up at it. It was beautiful lavender, it's petals dropping beautifully along the wind.

"It's lavender...a beautiful royal purple." Kris responded

"How did we get here?" Susie asked

"We walked." Kris answered

"Ok...Now close your eyes." Susie said as she bent over towards the ground grabbing something. Kris's eyes couldn't help but move towards her. The way she was moving, it all seemed so focused. It was like Susie was an entirely different person now; anyway he did as she asked.

"Ok, now open your mouth." Susie said, Kris had no idea what she was doing, he was so conflicted; yet since it was Susie asking he didn't think about it too much. He wondered if he was being too open. To willing to listen. Maybe he hadn't thought this- WAIT DID SHE PUT A LEAF IN HIS MOUTH!?

"DID YOU PUT A LEAF IN MY MOUTH!? PEW!" Kris immediately spit out the pieces of the leaf, but it was already too late. The shards and pieces of the leaf had found a new home in his teeth. This was the ultimate betryal.

"UGHHH! AUG! THIS IS SO GROSS! WHY SUSIE!!" Kris shouted as he viciously wiped his mouth to get the leaf bits outs.

"You feeling better?" Susie asked to which Kris looked over to her. Kris then noticed his hands weren't shaky anymore, no more crazy sweat. He took a quick breath of relief before looking at Susie.

"Thanks Susie...I...I didn't even realize what you were doing, how did you know?" Kris asked as Susie simply leaned against the tree and pulled out some leaves.

"Lets just say I've had to learn to react fast and observe quickly to things like this, ok?" Susie said

"Ok..." Kris said as he flopped onto his butt. He sat down on the grass plucking at it.

"You alright? If you can't handle it this, then I'll just go close the well with Rals and come back to g-"

"NO!" Kris shouted slamming his fist on the ground.

"I know what you're thinking, I'm unreliable, I'm a wild card, I'm too soft and I scare easy. Thats not what an adventurer does." Kris said frustrated.

"Hey Kris." Susie said

"Hm?" He said looking up to her.

"EVER, Suggest you know whats going on In my head again and I'll bite your fucking head off. Got it?" She growled baring her teeth. He almost forgotten how scary Susie could be.

"Ok ok." Kris said calming down yet again.

"It's clear there's something holding you back, something like that can't be part of a squad sorry. Everyone here is giving it their all and here you are, just existing. Spacing out and not even giving a damn. Grow the fuck." Susie said

"I-I do care!" Kris shouted, but Susie was much louder than he was.

" THEN FUCKING TALK TO ME DAMNIT! Adults talk to one another; people talk to each other....friends talk to each other. I want to know what to do when something like this happens. Whats your trigger? or maybe talking will get rid of it all together, but damnit I can't help you if you don't fucking say something!

Either speak up and tell me whats wrong or I'M SENDING YOUR ASS BACK TO THAT CASTLE AND I'M LEAVING YOU BEHIND! I don't want you to get yourself hurt, at least if you talk to me I can at least try to do something." Susie shouted back at him.

Kris looked at her and then towards the ground.

"....William had one of his "friends" come to town. Though he made it sound like they had a rough history. Monsters back then...well they still weren't looked to kindly upon.

I remember that day so vaguely, it still haunts me...I was at a coinvent store. I don't remember what for o-or why I was waiting there. I just was there. Anyway I had seen Noelle past by the store windows. Her hair, beautiful yellow and those chilling blue eyes." Kris said

Susie touched her own hair, her fingers barley touching her own eyes.

"...Soon after though, day became night and I left the store. I was eating some kind of candy when I then heard screaming, It was defiantly a woman's screaming. I looked around me and for blocks on blocks there was no one in sight. The city lamppost were dim, some broken too. I didn't want to be a hero, but my body moved on it's own. Male instinct I guess.

I ran down the way I heard it, my phone out, I already called 911 and told them everything. Thats when I heard the girl's whimpering and cries even closer now. Was she being mugged? attacked? Whatever it was I just had to pinpoint it and the cops would do the rest.

...My curiosity got the better of me...I turned the corner for a moment...

my....my eyes, I couldn't move them from what I was seeing. It was Noelle and William's friend. She was beaten, badly. Her clothes discarded and thrown about while He....I...I can't..." Kris said as he looked down with guilt in his eyes.

"What's his name?" Susie asked

"...Jacob." Kris answered.

"...Who is that?" Susie asked

"No one good. And if I want to stop them for good I'll need to get back home!" Kris said standing up, he looked at his fist and clenched them tight. A new bright flame burning his chest. A new drive perhaps. He thought about that moment, what he could have done. Kris then looked over to Susie who stood up too.

"Feeling better?" Susie asked to which Kris nodded. They both then began to make they're way back to Ralsie only to see he wasn't there. They both looked around, but didn't go down the two paths.

"Damnit where the fuck is this goat? I left him for like twelve seconds!" Susie shouted frustrated, Kris looked around before then seeing a giant pillar of purple flames go soaring through the air like a tower. Kris and Susie looked at it and nodded as they ran over towards it. He can do it, Kris knew in his mind that he had to be willing to do anything to set things right. Rather it be this word or even his. Kris ran faster than Susie, swifter as he moved through in environment. Susie however was a like a bullet through flesh, She tore through the trees, bushes and even rocks that were in her path. They ran through a few paths until finally reaching Ralsie who was surrounded by giant purple flames, it was like he was standing in a inferno.

"RALSIE!" Kris shouted, Ralsie's glasses were so shiny from the flames that you could hardly see into them. His head turned towards him.

"One of them is here, a darkner. A strong one too, can you feel how it's body etches in it's own place in reality so carelessly? Hmp, though for us. This will be nothing." Ralsie said as he then saw some movement along the bushes surrounding and the lit them up, his fire rising even higher than before.

"Kris, Susie! Go ahead and attack it, go for it's dark soul." Ralsie said as he then began to emit flames from his hands.

"I'll cover you." He said, Susie smiled as she then summoned her axe, Kris looked at his hands for a moment, shaky and unsteady. However he then saw a snowflake gently land on them. He closed his eyes as the world got quiet, its many sounds fading away as he then summoned his sword. Kris looked at it and then towards his opponent. Thats when multiple arms came shooting out of the bushes and getting ready to tear them to shreds.

"Here we go." Kris said. The hands went bursting at them, Susie swung her axe around with ferocity, each swing was like a massive hurricane. The dark hands come out towards her were hesitant and even a bit terrified of coming into contact with her attacks, yet she pushed towards them regardless. The hands would summon massive black spikes from the ground that Susie and Ralsie would dodge and maneuver around, but Kris remained frozen in place. A spike rising right next to him and scrapping his cheek. "My body...my body...why won't it move!? Am I still afraid? The person within me, the same one that stood by and watched Noelle suffer. They're still in control.

what am I supposed to do?" Kris thought to himself as he then looked down to his hands and saw chains wrapped around his wrist. The weight they carried and felt was overwhelming. He looked on to see Ralsie throwing pink hued fire balls and a sort of fire arrow which the hands blocked with a black shield. The hands would then bash the shield aginst Ralsie's face catching him in their grasp.

"RALSIE!" Susie shouted when suddenly a large black spike would go straight through her leg suspending her in the air. Susie would groan and grunt in agony as she dropped her axe. Kris's eyes could only watch, he was helpless. What was he thinking? He isn't no fighter. He can't even call the police on a criminal, much less fight a monster. Kris's eyes widened as he saw a monstrous black beast like face come from the bushes. The hands would hold Susie, while the head got closer and revealed a horrific set of teeth. Susie's eyes got smaller. "KRIS! What are you doing!? FIGHT!" Ralsie said as he struggled to regain his strength.

Fight? Fight? How?

Kris was then taken back to that alleyway, where he once again saw that horrible scene. Noelle beaten and bruised on the ground. A strange and almost demonic figure now was hovering over her. He saw her tears, her face of dissapointment and grief.

yet it seemed...Kris was looking at himself, his other self. He looked as he just stood there. Then he heard chuckling and giggling behind him. He turned his head and saw yet again himself. Only he was younger, around what seemed to be 5 or 6. He saw as he watched his younger self watch from around a corner as some boys were picking on a young Berdly. He watched and heard them call him slurs and a freak. He saw them push and pick on him.

Thats right...Kris had always been a coward. Never able to truly face getting involved with a mess he felt he couldn't do anything about. However that's when yet another sound came from next to him. He looked and saw it was him again, only it was the scene when he had charged those guys that he thought were picking in Susie.

"..."

He was changing, he didn't have to be this way. He didn't have to be a bystander. He didn't have to be afraid.

"Fight."

So what if he got hurt in the end!

"Fight."

So long as he could save someone, nothing mattered! He wouldn't watch again, NEVER AGAIN!

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHHHTTTT!" screamed Kris, he then turned around back to the alleyway and Susie and Ralsie had replaced Noelle. The two of them about be killed by this darkner beast. Kris then went into a full sprint, bursting through his chains and his old self. Like glass, that old weaker version of Kris had been shattered. Paving a way for a stronger and more bolder front.

"FIGHT!!!" Kris screamed. Outside of Kris's own mind, the darkner beast, Ralsie and Susie all were looking in shock and astonishment at Kris who suddenly started screaming. His head raised at the sky. Kris's eyes were filled with a unspeakable bloodlust! One not even Ralsie had ever seen. The darkner beast for a moment, forgot it was a beast. As it now had thought it was looking at one.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Kris screamed, his voice was almost beastly in nature. His eyes looking wild and monstrous yet still, they were his.

"...Kris?" Susie said, her voice in shock and terror at what she was looking at. They all then watched as Kris lifted his sword and pointed it right at himself.

"KRIS! DON'T!" Ralsie shouted out, but his words and pleads fell on deaf ears. Thats when Kris would plunge the being slayer right into his chest, the end of the sword coming out the otherside, but that wasn't all. Ralsie's eyes grew in shock at what he was seeing. He saw this red soul. It was overflowing with power and absolute potential. Ralsie's eyes were focused and held onto what that was. A powerful and immensely dense aura and power erupted from Kris, who still held the blade in his chest. Black dark blood seeping from his wound and mouth.

"OH MY GOD!" Susie shouted

"...It can't be...its the Critruku soul!" Said the darkner beast mesmerized by what was happening. Kris roared a monstrous roar as the overwhelming power of what looked to be his soul, began to beam and shake the entire land. The even in the further lands felt slight shakes and tremors. Yet in the immediate area. The lands was tearing itself apart. The whole place hardly able to keep itself together. Thats when Kris's canines would become much sharper, growing a pair of what looked like vampire fangs. He then looked up at them. Ripping the sword from his chest, yet this time it had a rose and pink like flame around it. The blade had caught fire. The darkner beast then threw Ralsie and Susie to the side as it charged at Kris.

Kris let out another devastating roar as he wound his sword back and then swung it at the beast. His attack so powerful it petrified the beast. It had been cut in half, yet its body had been left in stone. One piece hovering over the other. With a dark soul lingering in the middle. Kris was hunched over. His sword aginst the ground but still in his hands. He panted like a exhausted beast. Drool came from his mouth. Susie and Ralsie were left speechless at what had just happened.

"...Kris...what the hell are you?" Susie thought

"did that beast say what I think it said? That can't be possible!" Ralsie said, thats when the two would notice as Kris then collapsed, dropping his sword and falling on his face. Susie and Ralsie ran over. Kris was out cold.

"What was that!? Why the fuck did he do all of that!?" Susie shouted

"If what that thing said is true..." Ralsie mumbled still seemingly in a trance.

"Hey! Geek! WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED!?" Susie shouted, Ralsie snapped out of it and looked at Susie, his eyes then moving to Kris.

"...That beast...it said something..." Ralsie said

"what is it? What the hell did it say?" Susie asked

"It said...it said Kris has...the **True Soul**." Ralsie said. Susie looked at him and then back to Kris.