And so...
1024 Words
Francis ran towards Nero.
With just a flick of the wrist. He was thrown high into the sky, and a few seconds later he came tumbling down.
Dead.
And so, he reappeared.
He grabbed a piece of debris and threw it.
Before it managed to get close to Nero, it was blown towards Francis. It hit him in the face, with such force that it completely smashed it in.
Dead.
And so, he reappeared again.
This time, he grabbed another piece of debris and threw it high into the air.
Nero immediately sent it crashing down. He did not, however, notice the second one Francis threw. But it did not matter, as the wind protected him.
Francis, not noticing Nero using it on the debris in the sky, was crushed under its force.
Dead.
And so, he reappeared again.
Not being able to die was making him more and more reckless.
Nero decided to try something else. He attacked Życie. She was blown back, but two seconds later, she reappeared in the same spot.
She really was going all out, not letting anything interfere, and using it every single time.
Her body felt heavy and her mind felt like it was fading away. Reality was starting to look awfully distorted and strange. The small ring of liquid in her eyes was rapidly being used.
But her spirit did not waver.
Francis was getting closer, and Nero noticed. He tried to blow him away, but Życie used her power before he managed to do it.
Francis finally got close enough and took out the knife from its hidden sheathe.
Nero simply manipulated the wind to stab Francis.
Dead.
And so, he reappeared again.
He was close enough to strike Nero, and with the knife, he went on the offensive.
Nero moved back while using his powers, but reality changed.
The knife and the swing changed trajectory suddenly, and Nero was barely able to use his hand to block it. He then took out the knife that had penetrated his hand, and, in one swift motion, stuck the knife inside Francis’ neck.
Dead.
And so, he reappeared again.
Francis reappeared with the knife on his hand, and at the same distance. He went in closer, and this time he was at the perfect distance.
Francis swung the knife, in his inexperienced fashion, and as Nero went to block it, the way of the swing changed.
The knife was still blocked by Nero’s arm, but because of the change, it managed to tear through his flesh.
Nero again tried to use his powers, and actually managed to blow him away.
Życie had briefly lost touch with reality, which allowed Nero to blow him away.
She regained her senses, and saw Francis flying away. He hit the floor, and his face took all of the impact.
Dead.
And so, he reappeared again.
Nero was bleeding. His right hand and his left arm had been punctured by the knife. He felt tired, his body was aching and heavy. He was sweating a lot, and he was starting to feel weak.
But the one that was in the worst condition was Życie. She could no longer even stand up. Her vision was blurry, and she did not feel know if she was still even alive. She could no longer see Francis.
“Nero, if you let him go, I’ll stop.” she told her brother.
She felt the grips of madness taking hold of her brain, slowly changing fiction into reality. Sometimes, she could hear voices in her head, and ghost or spirits appeared at the edges of her vision.
“Życie, what are you talking about? I’m not letting you die” Francis told her.
Nero saw her and knew that she was approaching her limit. Życie could go on, even until her body could not even stand up. She could go on as long as her eyes were looking at Francis. But she couldn't. All she saw was a blur, only recognizable by his clothes.
It was not her determination that was faltering, it was her mind. She could not help Francis if she went insane.
And she did not want both of them to die.
“Alright, I’ll let Francis go,” Nero told her.
Nero wanted to have his father’s side as well, but he was too tired. He had been using his powers almost nonstop, and he was unsure when they would start to fail him. This, and he had no idea what could happen, and who could win.
Francis got in between Nero and his sister.
He was not going to let her die.
“Francis, I want you to live for me okay? I want you to explore the world, see its greatness and its vastness. I want you to go on all kinds of adventures. I want you to experience happiness” Życie told him.
Francis had tears in his eyes. No. This was not what was supposed to happen. We finally injured him. We were so close.
“That’s not what you want, is it Ży?” he asked her, “This is not what is supposed to happen. Screw everything and everyone. Let’s fight together. Let’s live together”.
All she gave him in response was a sad smile. The same smile a soldier gives to his comrade, knowing that the only road left is dying. The same sad smile is given to a suffering puppy that is finally put to rest. The same smile one looks at a tragic ending.
A smile that expressed, finally, all the burdens she was carrying. A smile that expressed how truly broken she was.
Nero blew Francis away.
Dead.
And so, he reappeared again.
But this time, he reappeared far away. Nero walked towards his sister and picked up the knife.
Francis started to run towards them, as fast as his injuries allowed him to carry them.
Nero raised his knife, and Francis reached out his hand.
“I loved you" were the last words that came out of her mouth.
The knife came rushing down.
Dead.
But this time, nobody reappeared.
- Writer
