Doubt

The Dragon backed off and began to circle me as it glared at me and said "As much as I hate to admit it, you are indeed worthy of my praise. I am the King of the Ahamkaras, Fire King Domenth. I acknowledge you as my equal and shall place a shrine worthy of your legacy once you fall..." I laughed and said "I don't need to be acknowledged by the dead..." in a cold voice.

Domenth's pupils turned into two tiny slits as he hissed "So be it! I'll leave your body so mutilated that even that little Ghost of yours won't be able to recognize you, Guardian!" I brandished my sword and waited for Domenth to make a move. Once he got behind me, he lunged at my back, aiming for my head with his sharp claws.

I spun and shot out a line of black fire, forcing him to jump. I sprang upward and surrounded my fist in Darkness before slamming it into Domenth's gut. Domenth recovered quickly and landed on his feet. His throat began to glow a dark red before he released a powerful breath of fire. I quickly used the Light to dodge out of the way for, if I tried to block that attack, I would've died.

I leapt forward and thrust forward with my clawed gauntlets before slashing horizontally with Sol. Domenth was able to easily counter my attack before kicking me in the stomach with his clawed feet. My armor repaired itself immediately, but I could tell that, if I took another one of those hits directly, I would have a few ruptured organs afterwards.

I charged forward and we began a deadly dance of death. I became a flurry of steel and fist, while Domenth became entranced in his own wild, animal like movements. Scrapes, cuts, gashes, and bruises began to form on our bodies as we hacked and slashed at each other with unbridled fury. I could hear a voice in my head now, but it wasn't Sam's.

'That is it...more...you need more power...yes...?'

I clenched my jaw and put more power into my attacks. I needed strength, and I needed speed to win this. I felt the flames on my body flare out as the horns atop my head slowly turned darker and darker. I felt myself growing faster, stronger, and more precise in my moves the longer our battle went on.

'Yesss...that is good, my Chosen...feel my power...course through you...'

It felt like time was slowing down as Domenth's attacks became easier to read and predict. I dodged his punch before ducking under his impossibly fast kick before stabbing Sol straight through his stomach. Domenth coughed up a large amount of black blood before jumping back. His wound already closed and his complexion back to normal.

Domenth's face twisted into one of unimaginable wrath as he yelled out in fury. Darkness began to pour from his body and form around him. Domenth looked at me and chuckled before dashing forward and swiping his claws out in front of him, creating thin lines of Darkness that shot toward me.

I let the attacks hit me, and they were absorbed into my body, feeding my strength. Domenth had a look of confusion on his face as I suddenly appeared before him and landed a vicious uppercut to his chin, sending him flying upward. Domenth grew a pair of crimson red wings and flared them out in an attempt to stabilize himself. I went to jump up and slice his wings, but a sudden piercing pain enveloped my body. The voice began to scream into my ears as I fell to my knees and clutched my head.

'SHOW NO MERCY! WE NEED BLOOD! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!!'

I screamed out in pain as I felt a force slowly creep through my body, and I soon found myself mimicking the voice's words. "Kill, must kill...MUST FEED!!" I yelled as I sprang forward with a wild, deranged laugh. Domenth landed and was unable to avoid my frenzied dash. I felt Sol bite into his flesh before I kicked him in the stomach and stabbed him through the back.

Domenth used his flexible body to bend and kick my in the face, sending me staggering backwards and giving him enough time to recover and pull my sword from his body. I rushed forward and clashed with Domenth, out clawed hands scraping against each other, giving off an eerie sound that echoed around the cave.

Domenth bared his teeth and yelled "Damnit! Snap out of it, or else you will be consumed! Your balance had been broken!" as he furiously tried to keep me at bay. I cocked my head during my flurry of attacks before releasing an ominous chuckle.

I broke his guard and repeatedly slashed his chest before kicking him to the side. I was about to take a step forward when another voice rang out in my head.

"Lucifer! Agh, fuck! Get yourself together! You're a Guardian, and you've got people to protect! Remember Wraith, remember the refugees and Sigbrand and Sigwulf! Remember me! I'm Sam, and you're Lucifer Blake!!"

I stopped in my tracks and clutched my head, saying "Wha-no...this can't be...that damned Gho-AHHH!! Stay down you miserable Human! NO! LET GO! AHHHHHHH!" I yelled out and a surge of Light purged the Darkness controlling my body. My body went limp as my consciousness returned, and I fell to the floor as my armor dissipated.

I felt more pain than I ever had before, but that wasn't the emotion ruling my body. It was guilt. I felt like I had singlehandedly betrayed everyone and everything I had ever cared about after I had let the Darkness get the best of me. I let it control me, and I knew it could do it again if I let my guard down.

I was a threat to humanity itself.

But that doesn't change the fact that I have to protect it. I have to protect everyone, even if I'm not welcomed. I will protect everyone. Meaning I have to get up and fight, fight for what I believe in. I clenched the dirt under my hands as I slowly rose to my feet with pained gasps. I looked Domenth in the eyes and raised my head high, knowing that I would be the one to die fighting here.

"Sam. Leave us. You have to live, and find another Guardian. I'm a worthless traitor anyways..." I said out loud through pained breaths. I heard Sam's voice come out as a pitiful whimper as he said 'Lucifer...? You're not a traitor, and you're not a threat to the world...you're a Guardian, and I-' I clenched my jaw to prevent my emotions from leaking out as I yelled "Damnit Sam, just GO!! Go and live!

The cave was quiet as I waited for Sam to appear and leave, but he never did. I was about to yell out once more, but Sam's voice said 'No, Lucifer. I will always be here with you. I won't abandon you, and I sure as hell won't live without you. You're my bestfriend, and greatest ally...' I paused at his words and felt a small smile creep up my face.

Sam appeared in front of me and said "I'll always fight with you. Plus, you'd probably go lonely without me..." in a soft voice. I turned my eyes up toward him and said "Yeah, you're my bestfriend too. I'll miss you little buddy..." before grabbing him and throwing him through the open doors at the other side of the save and locking them with my Darkness so he couldn't get through.

I felt a single tear flow down my cheek as I let the Darkness run wild through my body and said "Now, I may die here, but you're going down with me...I'll see you in the afterlife, bastard...!" as my armor began to form around my body. I used the Darkness to pull Sol toward me from the ground and took a stance.

Domenth's eyes were filled with respect and admiration as he nodded his head and said "Fine. I wouldn't mind you ending my legacy..." before adopting a stance of his own. We charged toward each other with ferocious yells as our strikes collided and caused a massive explosion, blowing most of the floor to pieces.

---

I lay there on the floor, tattered and broken, with Domenth not to far away and in much the same condition. I was missing my entire left arm, my right leg from below the knee, and my left eye was missing. I had more cuts and gashes that you could count, but I still lay there, alive and breathing.

Domenth's voice came from my left as he laughed and said "Heh, never thought that I would be put in such a pitiful state by a Human...Hell, I would serve you until the day that I died if we both were not on Esusuin's door..." I let out a pained chuckle of my own and muttered "Yeah, who wouldn't want the King of Ahamkaras at their side..." in a sarcastic voice.

Domenth laughed and said "Look, I know that your Darkness is much stronger than mine, and that you will be revived once more. So, can you do this dying King a favor...? Can you please save my children and lead them down a better path?" in a soft and kind voice. I raised my brow and mused "Lead them down a better path, eh...?"

I heard Domenth cough before saying "Please. I wish I could have saved them myself, but I was so absorbed in trying to preserve our race, that I fell to the Darkness and became a true monster. Please, I beg of you, please save them..."

I was about to respond to the dying Ahamkara when the roof shattered and debris began to fall down to the ground. The light from the surface shone down and blinded me momentarily as the sounds of voices and footsteps filled my ears.

My vision soon recovered and I saw hundreds of people in different type of armor. Some wore plain leather armor with hoods and masks, while others had more ornate armors. They all spoke this strange language as they inspected Domenth and the three others that were still unconscious by the door.

One walked over toward me and took off their helmet, revealing a beautiful, pale blue skinned woman with stark white hair that reached to her shoulders, and glowing blue eyes that scanned the surroundings in a quick and calculative manner.

The woman gave me a once over before gesturing to another person. They took their helmet off to reveal a pale blue skinned man with short, black hair swept to the side, and bright orange eyes that looked at me with scorn and contempt.

The two began to talk to each other in their native tongue, bickering about something, before the woman eventually got the man to click his tongue and walk away. The woman looked to me and smiled before saying "You look like you have many questions, but those will have to wait. I'm going to take you and train you in the ways of the Darkness so that you can return to the City..."

I wanted to ask so many questions in that moment, but I felt my mind growing fuzzy and my body weak as she lifted me from the ground and began to hover up toward the hole in the ceiling. I slowly began to fall unconscious as the woman began to gently whisper into my ear, filling me with a strange sense of security despite not knowing who she was.

I felt myself slipping into the vast expanse of darkness that shrouded my mind. A darkness with little light left.