The Deal
814 Words
Francis lost his reason to live.
He did not know when he had dropped onto his knees, or when did he stop looking at her.
Życie died trying to get one last glance at Francis. The saddest part is that she never got that last glance. She died desperately trying to see his blurry face.
Nero was given a surge of power, yet he only felt grief. Even though his sister was saved, he felt an extreme amount of loneliness.
But all that mattered to him was his mission.
He wanted, as much as possible, to maintain his sisters’ promise.
But he was a man that would take no chances.
He used his powers and forced Francis to the ground.
It was the same as an owner putting down his dog.
A best friend that simply had to go.
Francis did not realize that his face had been pounded against the dirt, that his face was also bleeding.
He was still in shock, not believing what had just happened.
Nero came close, with the same knife that killed Życie.
Francis was sprawled on the floor, unmoving. He wanted to join her in death. That is what he decided. He would die with her.
No world has life without its sun.
Nero was walking very slowly towards his best friend, never once betraying his ideals.
That was when Francis felt her again.
It was the same lady that he had met in the ballroom. She was no longer wearing a black dress, but more of a black shawl. She knelt at his side, touching his cold body.
Her touch felt colder still.
“To think that such a beautiful soul will die such a tragic death,” she told him.
Francis did not care. He did not care that the woman was there, why she was there, or why was Nero unable to see her.
“And sadder still is the fate that awaits that poor young woman,” she said.
To this, Francis did respond.
His vision turned bloodred. What did she mean by that?
The woman smiled and pointed and looked at Nero.
Francis understood. She would live as an ego. And who knows for how long.
He started limping towards Nero.
Nero, on the other hand, stopped moving towards him.
Something about Życie dying had made him lose all his strength. Even though he still strongly believed in his ideals, and would do anything for them, today was not the day.
Today, he was truly tired.
Francis kept going.
His entire body was heavy.
He was moving by sheer force of will. If it were any other person, they would have stopped a long time ago.
But the same disadvantage that had stopped Francis from winning, was the reason why he would still lose.
Nero, with a now bleeding nose, managed to squeeze out an extra tiny bit of power.
Francis flew and this time, it was not the ground that hurt him. It was the 5cm long wooden stick that pierced his lungs.
He was in so much pain, he could not even think. He tried to move, but the piece of wood was too large, and it pierced too deeply. If he moved too much he would instantly die.
And if he died here, Życie would live as part of Nero’s ego.
And once Nero is killed, she might even live with someone else, for who knows how long. It could be a thousand years; it could be forever.
Hunters lived a long time.
She will never be free.
If Francis died here, would he also become his ego?
“Not likely, since your friend is already going to inherit so today,” the woman in black said.
Francis slowly turned his head to look at her. It was all he could manage.
“You are more pathetic of a man than I thought,” she said.
Francis looked at her again.
The pain was so intense, he could no longer even think.
But his eyes.
His eyes showed an intensity that no dying man should ever have.
His eyes were violent. Like an ocean brewing up a storm.
The woman in black smiled.
She knew that she had found the right one.
“Do you want power?” she asked him.
He barely was able to give a nod.
“Enough power that you could save the girl?”
He nodded again.
“I can give you power, but in exchange for your freedom. After your service is considered complete, I will let you join your beloved” she said.
She enjoyed looking at those eyes. His eyes were the same as hers once. The eyes of a hungry tiger, ready to pounce if need be. It reminded her of a very, very long time ago.
He nodded once more, in acceptance of the deal.
And he blacked out.
- Writer
