You were the coolest person I ever knew

The figure mirrored every movement Zed made, his features identical to Zed's but twisted in a cruel, mocking way. His eyes were empty, hollow, and his smile… unsettling.

"What are you waiting for, Zed?" The voice was cold, taunting. It echoed in the void, as if coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. "The murderer of Sir Jaeger is right in front of you."

Zed felt an uncomfortable chill crawl up his spine as the figure approached, his steps echoing in the silence.

The figure reached out, grabbing Zed's hand—his own hand that held the blade, Vasuki. The moment their hands touched, Zed felt a dark surge of energy rush through him, like a tide of venom coursing through his veins. His heart thudded loudly in his chest.

"Seeing it's not so difficult," the dark figure continued, his voice now a low, seductive whisper. "All you have to do is pass this blade through his neck. Just like that. It's easy."

Zed's grip tightened around Vasuki as the dark figure's fingers curled around his, guiding the sword toward Roadie's throat. The darkness around them pulsed with an ominous energy, filling Zed with a strange sense of urgency, as if time itself were closing in on him.

The figure's voice dropped into a murmur. "Come on, Zed. You can do it. What's one more death in a world full of them?"

Zed's heart raced. The words seemed to echo in his mind, drowning out all other thoughts. His hand shook as he fought against the pull of the figure, but he couldn't move—couldn't break free of the dark influence that surrounded him.

He stared down at Roadie's vulnerable form, so close to the edge of death, and a single question rang out in his mind:

Am I really doing this for justice? Or is it for something else?

The hesitation, the inner conflict, churned violently within him. Would he follow the path of vengeance? Or would he resist?

Just as the weight of the dark figure's influence threatened to overpower him, Zed heard a voice—familiar, unmistakable, and soothing in a way that cut through the darkness.

"I thought so."

The words were calm, filled with a knowingness that sent a jolt through Zed's heart. His breath caught in his throat. The dark figure before him—the one pulling at his arm, urging him to strike—vanished in an instant. The suffocating void disappeared, replaced by a brilliant, pure white field that stretched endlessly in all directions. The oppressive atmosphere that had surrounded him lifted, replaced by a sense of peace that felt both surreal and comforting.

Zed's heart raced as he blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden shift in his surroundings. And then, standing there before him—radiating an aura of calm strength and authority—was none other than Sir Jaeger.

The sight of his mentor, clad in his familiar armor, sword in hand, made Zed's chest tighten with an overwhelming flood of emotions. Sir Jaeger looked as he always had—resolute, dignified, and unwavering—but there was something different about him now, something that Zed couldn't quite place. 

But one thing was certain: Sir Jaeger was here. Alive. 

The tears that Zed had been holding back broke free, and before he even realized what he was doing, he rushed forward, closing the distance between them in mere moments. 

Without a second thought, he threw his arms around Sir Jaeger in a desperate, heartfelt embrace. His body shook with emotion as the weight of everything that had happened—the pain, the suffering, the uncertainty—poured out of him in that single, frantic hug. 

"Sir Jaeger… I thought… I thought you were gone..." Zed's voice trembled as he clung to him, unable to let go, as if fearing that this moment would slip away if he did.

For a long moment, Sir Jaeger didn't say anything. He stood there, silently accepting Zed's embrace. His presence, though quiet, was a pillar of strength—reassuring, grounding, and unshakable.

Finally, Sir Jaeger spoke, his voice low and steady, filled with the wisdom of someone who had seen and experienced much in his life. "I never truly left, boy. Not in spirit. Not in your heart." He gently pulled back, placing a hand on Zed's shoulder, his eyes meeting his with a knowing gaze. "But you have to understand something, my boy. The path you walk, the choices you make—they define who you are. The darkness you felt, the anger, the thirst for vengeance—it's all a part of you, but it's not all of you."

Zed wiped his tears, feeling both overwhelmed and confused. "But… how? How did you know? Why are you here now?"

Sir Jaeger's eyes softened, a faint, comforting smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I am always with you, Lukas. In your heart, in your choices. You asked yourself whether to kill Roadie… But it's not just about him. It's about you, and the man you choose to become." 

Zed swallowed hard, the weight of his mentor's words sinking deep into his chest. 

"You taught me so much, Sir Jaeger… I've failed you. I've failed everyone. I don't know what to do anymore." Zed's voice cracked, the guilt and frustration bubbling to the surface. 

Sir Jaeger's expression softened further, and he placed both hands on Zed's shoulders, his gaze full of warmth and understanding. "You've already taken the hardest step, Lukas. You questioned yourself. You didn't let the darkness consume you." 

Zed nodded slowly, absorbing Sir Jaeger's wisdom, but the internal struggle still weighed heavily on him.

"There will always be darkness in this world, Lukas. But you can choose to stand in the light, to make a difference. Don't let the pain of your past define you. You are not a product of your suffering. You are the one who decides what you become."

Zed looked up at him, the tears still falling freely, but now with a sense of clarity in his eyes. 

"I will make it right," Zed whispered, the promise hanging in the air between them.

And Sir Jaeger nodded, his smile widening. "I believe in you, Lukas. You've always had it in you. Now go—make the choices that will shape your future. I'm proud of you."

With those final words, Zed felt the last remnants of doubt melt away, leaving behind a renewed sense of purpose. He stepped back, wiping his eyes, and took one last look at Sir Jaeger. 

And then, as if the entire scene was a dream, the white field began to fade, slowly dissolving into nothingness. 

But Zed knew this wasn't the end. It was the beginning. The beginning of the man he would become.

Just as the last remnants of the white field began to fade, the first rays of dawn pierced through the horizon, casting a soft, golden light over everything. The warmth of the sun gently kissed Zed's skin, and for a moment, the world felt serene—quiet, yet full of promise.

Zed stood there, staring at Sir Jaeger one last time, the man who had been his mentor, his guide, and the one who had shaped him into who he was today. As the scene around them continued to dissolve, Zed felt his heart swell with gratitude, his chest heavy with emotions that words could hardly capture.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Goodbye, Sir Jaeger," he said softly, his voice filled with sincerity. "You were the coolest person I ever knew."

Sir Jaeger's figure began to blur, the ethereal nature of the vision fading, but his presence lingered in Zed's heart, timeless and unshakable.

Zed gave him one last, lingering look as the dawn's light enveloped him completely. And with that, Sir Jaeger's figure vanished, leaving behind only the soft glow of the new day.

Under the soft glow of the dawning light, Zed stood there, his heart heavy with the weight of Sir Jaeger's departure. The silence was almost peaceful, a rare calm that filled the air.

But in the next moment, something shifted. Zed's attention wavered, and without any command from him, Vasuki—the blade tattooed onto his arm—began to pulse with a strange energy. It hummed softly, almost like it had a mind of its own. The blade's edge vibrated as it came to life, stretching out from Zed's skin, like a living entity that had just been awakened.

Before Zed could understand what was happening, Vasuki acted swiftly. With a flash of blue energy, the blade reached toward Roadie's unconscious form. There was no struggle, no sound, just an almost imperceptible pull. 

Vasuki sucked the life force from Roadie's body, drawing it in quickly and cleanly. It was done in an instant, as if the blade itself had absorbed something that was never meant to be contained. 

Zed didn't even notice. His gaze was still lost in the horizon, the weight of Sir Jaeger's departure lingering in his chest. The tattoo that had once been a blade on his arm now returned to its resting form, faded back into the skin of his forearm, its power contained within once again.