I charged at the keeper and threw the flames at him. I'm not sure whether he manipulated time or space, but the flame seemed to slow down as it reached him. He pulled out a scythe and directed the flames back at me. They were much faster than when I shot them.
"Nice try, boy," he snarled cruelly with a smile. As he moved his scythe around, he stomped on the floor. A moment later I wasn't moving as fast. He was moving normally, if not faster.
"If you think that cheap magic is enough to harm me, you have learned nothing on your journey!" he cackled evilly. He rushed forward and slashed at me with his scythe. I barely had less than a second to block. I forced him back by igniting my body with the flames. Regardless of his godlike power, he could not manipulate the flame based on the short distance. The flames burned his body.
He was silent for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and calmly turned his scythe around in a circle motion.
"What are you doing?" Z asked sternly.
The man was simply looking down. A moment later he began to speak.
"Is that any way to speak to a god?" He stated. "I am not to be trifled with in that matter. I govern the worlds inside the Abyss. Such as the dome young Toby dwelled in."
"How do you know this?" I asked.
"I know of everything that in this dimension. But I paid special attention to your dome, once you were born."
"What?"
"Your soul is strong. The essence inside you is leaking out. That is why YOU are an immortal. This is why you are a GOD!!!"
"A god? Im-im-impossible! You're LYING!!!" I screamed. "YOU cursed me! You were the reason I was always brought back!! You only think of me as a pawn!!!"
"Think what you want, but as a god, I am forbidden to lie. It is my oath. Think of that oath, and ask me what reason I would lie to YOU."
I couldn't speak. I was overwhelmed with emotions. Rage. Hatred. Sorrow. Hopelessness.
Despair.
"It's unfortunate. I thought I could guide you along. But all you are is a slave to delusions and memories. Your existence is worthless. Nothing but a mistake." That was my breaking point.
I roared at the god in rage and rushed at him. Red fire fueled every single strike. He could not block every single attack. I gave him a deep slash to the chest that burned with red fire.
"AAAAAARGHHHHH!!!!" he roared in pain. I walked in surprise as the flames turned violet again.
"It's-it's over," Z said in shock. "You just-"
I couldn't speak. I was as shocked as him. I was calm and surprised as my lips formulated the words I was thinking.
"We can go through now."
"Not quite," the god said.
I whipped around. "It's over. I won. You have to let us through now."
"I'm fine with that. I failed. That means your existence is meaningful. One last word." He coughed up blood and moaned in pain. Z rushed forward to help him.
"Aurus, don't speak. You'll- you'll be fine. Just hold on." He was close to tears.
"The last word. I have....I have to tell Toby. It is the last thing I must do in this life." He beckoned me forward.
"You may go. You are no longer shackled by your past existence. Once you enter that door, your destiny will be separated from Z's. Your memories will be erased until you can start anew. But you two will meet again. That is the promise I will make to you. You.....will.......rejo......."
And with that, Aurus faded into essence. All he left were feathers. I took one of them. There was writing on it.
This is all I can give to you. This is my final blessing.
Thank you for everything. It was my hope to be defeated. And I wish you luck, as the chains that bind your soul are loosened and replaced. -Aurus
The gate suddenly opened slowly. I was staring at the gate.
"Wait."
I turned around.
"This note.... and his last words..... do they mean we'll forget each other?" Z sounded afraid. He only had one friend right now. Me. He couldn't afford to forget.
And neither could I. I don't know anyone anymore but him. And Aurus. One of them was dead. I couldn't forget the one remaining.
Then I thought about what the Abyss does. t slowly drains aay your memories of a past world, but the Abyss isn't a world. It's nothing. And you can't forget Nothing.
"No. We won't forget each other."
Z looked up hopefully. "What?"
"As long as two people have a strong friendship, it will carry on even in the afterlife. We won't see each other for a while, but we'll meet again. That's a fact."
We shook hands, and walked through the Gate together.
A light shone in the distance. Memories flooded through me. I didn't know if the memories were fabricated or real, or ones I wanted. But Z's memory stayed. I held my feather. The last tether to Z and Aurus. The light started to fade. My eyes were closing. My last sight before entering the new world was a purple flower, an orchid. It began to burn softly. Ashes flew into the distant stars. The orchid burned and burned until.....
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