"I'm falling..my head feels like-huh."
"What is your name?"
"My name is...haven't I already answered"
"What is-"
"Enough! It's Arthur, ok?! I have no other name."
"I see. Your ly-"
"Lying, right? Why? Because your name's Arthur. Quit joking around and tell me what the hell I'm doing here?"
"...Have you been making a contract?!"
"I'm working on it. Isn't that why I'm here?!"
"No. Another soul is hiding."
"Hiding? Another soul?"
"Show yourself."
"Ahahaha! You caught me! Tehee!"
A white double ganger of Chronos appeared! He was floating playfully in the air.
"You want me to merge with this clown?!"
"What are you talking about?"
"You making a contract with a god! Aren't you?!"
"Yeah...is that a problem?"
"Yeah is that a problem?!! Grr!!" Chronos's soul hissed at Arthur's soul.
"So annoying! Gah! I won't. Never. Not in a million years!"
"...Don't you also want to be stronger, Arthur?"
"Hah?! Why the hell would I want to be stronger? So you can run off and get yourself killed?! Quit joking! Your never going to beat Sedah. No contract with any god will!"
"Aren't you meant to be me? Don't you crave his death like I do! He needs to be eliminated. We need to claim our rightful justice."
"You want justice? Why? He killed your party. Your friends. That dragon girl! He must've had a reason, right?! I refuse to believe he-"
"-Enough. I was wrong. Your not me. Your my soul. A soft soul. A weak soul. I'm absolutely disgusted by you."
"Disgusted..?"
The embodiment of Arthur's soul gained eyes, a nose and an expression. What expression did he make? Despair. He fell to his knees.
"Why are you disgusted at me?"
He was loomed over by the man, who sought revenge.
"Stand up."
Arthur began to grip his hands to his face, staring at the floor in insanity.
"Fight. Chicken." Arthur gave a smile, as he towered over his soul.
"Please. I don't want to fight."
"Coward! Coward!" Chronos's soul spoke out, egging on Arthur's soul.
Arthur began to stand up. "I'll fight..."
"Against who?"
"Sedah..."
"Wrong!"
"Huh?"
"He's a demon. He shouldn't have a name. To us, Sedah is already dead. From now on he is a demon. A monster. A monster we must slay."
"A monster we must slay..."
"A demon we must kill!"
"A demon we must kill!"
"Give me your weapon."
Arthur's soul flinched. He then placed both his hands, clutching onto his face. He separated his face from his head. It left nothing but a void, he handed the mask to Arthur's palm. It phased into his left palm.
"That is our weapon." Arthur's voice echoed and his soul dispersed into nothingness.
"Where did he go?"
"Ah! Don't worry. He isn't gone. Just hiding! I'll drag him out and we'll talk some other time about the contract. It seems you got your weapon. Lucky! Anyway, it's time we sent you back. Haha! You should go back now since your soul's gone into hiding. Don't worry, I'll drag him back out!"
Chronos's soul poked Arthur's forehead with his finger. Arthur's eyes widened. A bright glow had encapsulated Arthur's vision.
Arthur sat up, profusely sweating. His breathing was heavy. He woke up to him in a bed, looking up at a wooden roof.
"Where the hell am I?!"
He looked outside the window and then got up out of bed, stumbling.
"Shit..I feel so lightheaded." He clutched his hand onto his hair, gritting his teeth. He heard noise from outside, a clash of swords.
"Haha! Keep at it!"
He heard an old man's voice, a voice he recognised. "Isn't that?" Arthur quickly rushed out to see Chronos sparring with Kagekawa! Well, it was more like Kagekawa was toying with Chronos, but the child god was giving it his best! Kagekawa looked at Arthur, while effortlessly parrying Chronos's weak swings.
"Haha! Arthur! Your awake! How are you holding up!"
"Good-you arm! What happened to your arm? Your body too! It's burnt!"
Kagekawa led Chronos in, and then he clutched onto his head, lifting him.
"Let me go!" Chronos started smacking Kagekawa's hand. Of course, this didn't hurt Kagekawa at all.
"Haha! That's enough for today, go inside."
Chronos hurriedly ran, shoving past Arthur.
"Hey, watch where you're going, brat!"
Chronos looked at Arthur. "...are you ok?"
"Hah! Of course, I am. Don't worry about me!" Arthur crossed his arms in pride. Chrono ran inside, closing the door. He felt guilty.
"He was worried sick for you."
"That kid? I haven't even known him for long."
"Yes, that kid. He's your partner, you know. The god you contracted with. God's hold their partners very dear to them."
"I see...so how long was I out?"
"A month."
"A month?!"
"I'm surprised too! Remember when I said it would take you a year to get your weapon. I couldn't have been more far off! Haha!"
"You know I have a weapon?"
"Well, I have a sense for these things! Haha! But, more importantly, your contract."
"It's on hold, I think?"
"On hold, huh? Well, it's better than it being terminated. Haha!"
Arthur gazed seriously at Kagekawa's burns.
"I can guess already, but it was him, wasn't it?"
"...yes."
Arthur clutched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"He burnt you! He took your arm! I'll make sure to kill-"
Kagekawa placed his hand on Arthur's shoulders.
"Focus on getting stronger. Your still a long way off from ever dreaming to beat Sedah. Right now, you have your weapon. That's good! However, you still have yet to use or hone your weapon. Also, there's the war between Vastos and Coldera. Decide on what you want to do right now. Fight for your country or seek revenge against Sedah."
"...A world with that demon isn't safe. But, I cannot sit idly by while a war goes on. I'll leave that demon for later. Kagekawa, I will fight in this war!"
Kagekawa smiled at Arthur. "Thank you, Arthur."