"Angel..."
Who...
"Angel... Angel..."
Who is calling me...
He opened his eyes slowly and found himself lying in the middle of a dark meadow.
"Am I dead?" he whispered.
He stood up and looked around him, thousands small light scattered like fireflies. His smile began to develop on his lips as he looking at them.
The voice that called out his name came back.
"Angel..."
"Angel... Angelus Raizel..."
He looked around once again, tried to find the origin of the voice and realized it was from a dark crystal that floating in front of him.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" he asked.
"I know your name, your strengths, your weaknesses, your mind, your heart... Because I have been with you for a very long time." The crystal slowly turned into a dark aura that formed like him.
His eyes widened in surprise, he never saw something like this before, even an expert magic user couldn't do it.
"What are you?" he said in confusion.
His double gave him an evil smirk.
"Angel... do you want revenge? They have betrayed you, trampling your loyalty. Aren't you more worthy for the throne than others?"
Angel looked down and smiled bitterly.
"From the beginning I never expected to be a king, I just hoped, I can protect this kingdom like my father protect me. I just want to protect my family, my people."
"But it's them who make you end up like this. Don't you want to get revenge at them? Don't you hate them?"
He fell silent a moment as he remembered what his father taught about his duty as a royal family, remembered his people's happy face who always greeted him every time he was on his mission, remembered how much he love his homeland, Kingdom of Asteria, more than his own life.
He shook his head and turned his gaze back to his double.
"Struggle for throne will only make many people suffer. It is not comparable to what I get."
His double looked angry, suddenly he raised his hand towards him and released dark aura that bound his body, Angel struggled to get free but in vain.
"Foolish! Don't you have any ambition in your life? Do you think that by giving up then everything will be fine? What is your purpose for risking your life all this time? Your purpose for practicing swords? Your purpose for study harder than the others? Isn't it to avenge your father? Become king like your father? "
Angel stopped struggling and gave his double a straight face.
"I once lived only for revenge. But I'm sure my father didn't want me to live in hatred and revenge like that."
His double looked more irritated than before.
"It looks like you have lost your purpose, then I'll help you remember."
His double extended his hand to his face, in an instant he could see all the bad memories of his past.
When his father died before him.
When he was almost expelled because he was considered as an illegitimate child.
When he was punished for mistakes he didn't do.
When his uncle forced him to make an oath in front of his father's grave to giving up his right for the throne.
When he keep assigned to the front lines without regard his safety.
When he was badly injured but no one cared about him.
When he had done everything... but was still considered as a rebel and was cruelly executed.
"STOPPP !!!!!" he shouted, his eyes reddened as he holding back his tears.
The dark aura that bound him broken, he fell on his knees while holding his head with trembling body. His heart aches terribly...
His double gave him a mischievous smile.
"Angelus Raizel... be a king with me, together... we will conquer the world. Make them kneel before you, I will give you power for that." he whispered.
His double extended his hand...
He raised his head slowly, stared at the hand that was extended to him for a few moments and finally reached his hand in despair.
His double turned back into dark aura that spread around him, devouring all the light, leaving him in complete darkness. His voice came again.
"From now on I am you and you are me."
Angel fell with blank eyes, he can feel his heart slowly become empty and cold…
*
*
*
The night sky was clear, moonlight illuminated Whitedevil Rose field near the Death Forest which at this time, all of its flowers had been turned red. Near the cliff Angel's body lay stiff.
Suddenly, Angel opened his eyes. The plants around him instantly withered and dried up. He pulled out 'Loyalty' which still stuck on his chest with his left hand and stood up. He could feel a mysterious power flowing through his body. All the wounds in his body recovered in a second, his pain goes away, so does the pain in his heart.
The plant tendrils began crawling to reach him again. He extended his right hand, dark aura coming out from his hand forming a black sword with dark aura enveloping it. He swung his sword towards the plant, dark aura from the sword spread, making the entire plant at the bottom of that cliff crumble into dust.
Angel looked at the black sword on his hand.
"From now on, you are my only friend, 'Nightmare', " he whispered.
Then, he walked slowly into the Death Forest and swallowed by the darkness.
--------
Glossary
'Nightmare' is a mysterious sword originating from Angel's nightmare. This sword is completely black, the cross-guard is shaped like a bat wing, in the middle of it a black crystal that emits dark aura. The size of its blade is slightly larger than rapier and very sharp. This sword only can be used by Angel and can't be broken unless he dies. Another advantage from his sword can give illusion of nightmare on his opponent.