A World for "One"

As the shadow dissipated into nothingness, seemingly returning to its origin— an echo to wherever light's fingertips reach. Arthur fell to all his fours, a splash of blood, and a heavy breath. He looked back at the beast to see its nothing more as its black jewel destroyed, covered in blood.

"Himmel!" Arthur shouted

"Hold on okay?!" With a shaking voice, and hands that cannot calm down.

He grabbed some torn down cloths they found prior to the battle, a deep black cloth, torn and weary. He took them towards the collapsed cave— crystal clear water seems to be overflowing from within.

He washed them, removing dust and dirt and took it to Himmel and tied around his wound. The would is about half of his right arm. The flesh was sliced open— Himmel's face paled in comparison, his eye bags becoming more noticeable by the second. 

"Stay with me please" He said as his voice gradually becoming desperate

He took multiple cloths and tied it around the wound— making it so the wound would forcibly close. He glanced back at his face. Its not getting any better. 

At this point his hands were shaking uncontrollably. 

"Am I going to be alone?"

"No.. no, no please"

"I can't lose you too"

"Himmel..."

He thought, he thought and he thought to his dismay. He took him near the collapsed cave, and placed him near where running water. He took some water by the hand, and opened his mouth, he fed water to his dry lips.

He took his coat and wrapped it around him. Maybe to keep him warm? He thought. He looked around, finding something, something! That may help him stay alive.

"The houses? Maybe there's some left-over material?" He thought, glancing left and right.

But to his avail, most of the houses has been broken down, or burning as we speak. Or worse, a ruby meteorite— the shadow beast's cocoon. However, shadowy beast or not, it will all be for nothing if Himmel dies here.

He took Himmel to the side of the road, covered him entirely with the coat, hoping for the best in disguise. 

With the dagger in hand, a bag in his side. He rushed to one of the nearby houses that looked promising, west from where they fought, the only house that hasn't been engulfed by the fires. It was a one-way street, to the left lied the houses, the right was the fences— after which was essentially a cliff.

The houses were made along the spiraling "spikes" that originated from the center, however was carved flat on the top side to build roads and houses. To journey to the exit of the village, was to travel the giant roads of spikes. 

"I only have a dagger... there is no guarantee I'll be able to defeat a shadow all on my own."

"But, Himmel said, the shadow's origin, is these 'ruby meteorites'."

"The first wave of this whole apocalypse, was the onslaught of black meteorites, after which becomes ruby red in color as the shadow emerges from them"

Arthur reached the broken-down house, and hid amongst the 'red' painted walls. Peeking to his left was a ruby meteorite in the middle of the road. The shadow— as his heart beats more by the minute — was inside the broken-down house, destroying the house as he hides. 

"I can't fight it... But what if, I can lure it away while I loot for items?"

His breathing intensifies as the thought of the risk he's about to take. Looking at the dagger in his hand, shaking, noticing it's weariness— he noticed the blood in the crevasses of the blade as he closed his eyes in courage. 

As he took another peek in the left, checking on the whereabouts of the shadow. To his surprise— "Wendy?" He thought, as his eyes constricted in confusion

"Your face... Why do you smile like that? -"

Before he could even finish his thoughts— a piercing blow was dealt to the wall above his right shoulder. Barely missing him— he almost freezes in shock but as he gripped his dagger in instinct, his body moved. He oversaw the next blow and dashed upfront.

He maneuvered his body to once again face the shadow, and with his blade he posed ready to attack. The shadow moves slow, but it's four needle like leg, further connected by one stream of shadow, and had two c-shaped arms, then on what seemed like it's head— lied a human face. Wendy's face.

"I noticed my hands still tremble, and my emotions are still a wreck. No wonder Himmel didn't want me to look at it in the eye. I could fall into a 'breakout' if I can't control my emotions..."

I was worried. But for now —"Forget Wendy, forget my compassion for her."

"Just think of Himmel..."

The shadow's eyes dimmed and glimmered, twisting its head seemingly in confusion. Its face started to shuffle again, switching from Welt, to Adam, to Charlotte— seemingly trying to find a face that may distract him as he moved closer towards him. 

However, Arthur looked down once more, avoiding its head— after the brief moment he paused, he formulated a plan inside his head. He curved left this time, and as he neared the shadow— it attacked.

He narrowly avoided it by sliding under it's talon, then jumping over the hole the beast made. He now entered the broken home. 

It was made of stone, what kind? I could not identify due to the red glow of the ruby meteorite, overshadowing most of the color. It can be identified however that it was owned by a wealthier owner.

The second floor was only a third of a fraction, it was in-fact hanging tilted towards the ground, directly in front of me. The entrance door however was to my right, however— the front door barely has any walls left, it was destroyed so much by the ruby meteorite. 

I quickly ran towards the hanging second floor, luckily it hanged so much I may be able to climb to the second floor— if not that all of it was essentially tilted. However, it provided a great hiding place, I hid behind it. With the red glow from the meteorite, I scrapped for goods.

"Anything... Anything at all—"

I got on my fours and scoured through items, brick after brick— stone after stone. Picture frames of what was once a happy family, and broken pots filled with dirt and dead plants. My breathing became heavier, eyes and ears sharp to hear the beast. 

"I found what looked like a fruit? I'll take it! What else?"

"An old book..." I paused

"Anything will do, maybe to keep as memory of this place"

"A long sword...?"

It shined and sparkled among the reflection of the crimson glow. I took the long sword, and stored my old dagger to my bag. 

The moment I placed my dagger in my bag the shadow has already caught my whereabouts. It pierced again through the wall I was hiding, however luckily I was in a corner. It pierced again— the sound of breaking debris as anticipation built up. It was piercing one-by-one to my direction. 

I held the newly found long sword and, as moments slowed down. I ran out— long sword behind me, I slashed the shadow. The shadow attacked simultaneously with my sword. It clashed!

...it clashed?

The shadow's attack went through my sword, like an immaterial being, only by an inch away I managed to dodge it, wounded in the cheek to the ear.

Arthur's sword collided with it's black jewel. It shrieked in disarray, and what felt like a thousand voices, filled with sharp shrieks of all kinds— deafening Arthur temporarily, causing confusion and outbalance. 

"Dumb... move"

He fell on his ass as the loud shrieking worsened— what felt like the world turning upside down, and left side up due to perplexion. But gritting his teeth, and tightening his grip, a mix of frustration and determination etched across his face. He stood up, whilst the world felt like it swayed and danced. He ran up for another strike at the jewel, trying to steady his balance as his body fights back the invisible force of gravity.

However, his feet betrayed him as he succumbed to his perplexion and missed his swing— rolling down to the floor out to the entrance and was slammed into the ruby meteorite.

It was far enough that the perplexion subsided. However, Arthur slowly struggled to get up due to the pain, his left hand frantically checking his bag if anything got damaged.

As the shadow slowly approached him slowly, and the ruby meteorite behind him. His foot took a stance— feeling the ground beneath him. He stood in the small crater made by the meteorite. 

He didn't raise his long sword however, instead his hands. With a mocking curve of his smile, eyes filled with arrogance, a face plastered in disgust. He finally looked at the shadow in the face, and taunted it with his finger.

The shadow's eyes glimmered— black and white, its face abandoned its imitation as it rushed in towards Arthur with manic speed.

He however, wasted no time and went behind the meteorite. Half of his hunch was correct. Now, his bet lied on his other hunch.

…

"So, these shadows come from the ruby meteorites?"

"Yes, I saw it with my bare eyes. They emerge from them, precisely why we need to avoid them."

"So, are they for chance…"

…

As the shadow beast's talon became louder and louder, its shadow talons extending great lengths per step, piercing the ground and its arms ready to strike through Arthur's flesh and blood— approaching at manic speed.

"Tethered? To these?"

The shadow beast's face smiles ear to ear as it slashes the ground in satisfaction. Twisting its head to the left to find Arthur behind the ruby meteorite— smiling.

It dashed in great speed. It's grin from ear to ear as it raises its talon to pleasurably strike him down— was replaced with confusion, inches away from his talon piercing his brain in onslaught— he was dragged down by the cliff and fell down.

Its talon desperately extended to the walls and spikes as it inevitably dragged by what seemed like an invisible force down. The black jewel—the beast's origin, shattered.

Looking down on it. I was lucky both my hunches were correct. The ruby meteorite really did cause a great deal to the ground. The long sword definitely made it easier to collapse the ground near the edge, I just had to push the meteorite down, which then came to my second hunch. If these beasts, were to a certain extent—tethered to their cocoon.

After his cold demeanor. Down to the abyss the shadow dissipated. Arthur walks. Rigid, and outbalanced, head ringing from the battle. Noticing the dripping blood coming from his cheek. He felt remorse. Looking back, to the house he so desperately scoured. It now caught aflame.

"The picture frame..."

He thought, looking back. It was a picture frame of a happy family, a small, but happy one. It was broken. They had two children, a daughter, and an even younger one on their arms.

"May they rest in peace..."

He walked back to Himmel. Luckily, no shadow beast roamed the area and found him. However, he came back with nothing that could save him.

Himmel was still breathing, ill-faced he was, Arthur felt remorseful.

"I'm sorry, Himmel..."

"Please survive... I cannot lose you too"

I pleaded, falling into my knees. Next to him, his hands I held.

"You like stories, right? I found a book!" I said, trembling with my voice as tears once again formed in my eyes... "I cannot lose you..." I whispered.

With shaking hands, I reached for the book. My fingers twitched by every page I flip. I opened my mouth, only to feel as though my heart sunk. I couldn't bear to read the first page.

I read. "Oh, lucky me, it is a story book" I said, trying to give a laugh as my voice trembled. Tears and blood seemingly formed at the bottom of the pages as I flipped.

"If there's a God out there, please..." I thought to myself. 

"Here" I added. "Once upon a time..." 

"There was a hero, named Ciel. He was a hero like no other." I spoke. Reading the first line I closed my eyes— tears fell down against my will. I hesitated. But I continued.

"He had unwavering dedication to protecting the people around him. Maybe even more to strangers. Ciel was a beacon of bravery, inspiration, and comfort for his companions." I paused in places to gather myself. I can't bring myself to.

"However," I trembled. "Behind the mask, Ciel found himself as a fraud." 

"He doubted himself. He blamed himself for every person he couldn't save."

"To the world, Ciel the Hero saved millions. But to Ciel, he wasn't powerful enough to save everyone."

"When he traveled with his party to the Demon king's castle." 

"He fought valiantly, and won".

"Ciel the Hero killed the Demon king."

"But, before Ciel killed the Demon king, he was heavily wounded on the side"

"And..." I should stop. I can't. I can't continue reading this—

"Please continue..." Himmel said.

I...

Okay... I will...

"And just as the party of Hero was celebrating."

"Ciel, the hero, notices the wound."

"And falls on the ground..."