____________

The sun falls quicker than its time to rise. .
Days are eclipsed into night. .
It is such a cold demise.
Why not end in delight?

shadow_17705 Presents

Traveler of Light .
Chapter 18: Serene Night, Part IV
____________

Tonight, the suffering finally ends...

I had doubts. Ever since I met Lucero and his friends, I had doubts. Was I really going to kill these innocent people for the Final X... and for some dead person? Through the many battles, I tortured myself... and I tortured those around me.

I was forced to betray them...

I felt I was possessed...

I could not control myself...

Then, I forced Faith to betray her true love... .
.
Lucero: I would never leave you to die. You're my life, Faith!
Saku: Like he never said that to some other girl before. Don't trust him. You don't need him.
Lucero: Faith, no!
Faith: ......SHUT UP!!!

This outcome was beyond what I expected. I never knew my powers of manipulation would tear apart such innocence.

It was then I saw Faith point the gun I had given her at Lucero.

I was petrified of what I've done. I broke free from being possessed. I can practically feel the chains disappearing... Redemption... Salvation... Liberation...

In an instant, the sound a gunshot pierced the air...

This was my final chance. I refused to break apart a strong relationship. Before any seconds passed by, I rushed into the bullet's path... in order to save the enemies that are my friends. Lucero... Faith, forgive me...

The storm had passed... It is just calm rain... No disorder...

A very slim amount of blood released into the air, glistening in the moonlight...

The crimson liquid looked so graceful...

His eyes stared at the moon's peaceful presence... .
.
I never noticed how perfect the moon is. I wanted to scream at it. Display my inner hatred...

How much I hated the Final X.
How much I hated someone I never knew.

It was too late to scream. .
.
They were once tense and green... This tension faded to tranquility... The green faded to a lifeless black.

He gave a weak chuckle...

____________

FLASHBACK:

The bell of the clock tower rang to count out the hours: two in the afternoon. On the park bench, was Saku. His left forearm was uncovered from the gauze that was wrapped tightly, revealing many long, scars. In his right hand, was a pocket knife. He sighed and carved deeply into his left forearm.

Saku (thinking): No matter how much wounds I have given, I cannot feel the pain and I cannot bleed...

He carved another empty gash.
____________

Saku: At last........ I finally bleed...

He grinned. Behind Saku, was Lucero... absolutely traumatized. In front of Saku, was Faith... holding the Desert Eagle with smoke coming from the barrel. A shining tear was coming from her eye. Saku started falling towards the ground. .
.
Lucero: S-Saku...

Lucero broke his fall...

Saku: ......Lucero?

Faith and Rival run up to Saku. Saku was gently placed on the ground.

Saku: ...Faith? .......Rival?
Faith: Saku! Please don't die!

They are true friends. They try to save me, but all is vain. I examined my own blood. I was losing countless amounts of it. I stared at the Final X with disdain. I looked at their emotionless expressions. However, Nara's expression was what created a gash in my soul.

We were never related, but Nara was like a sister to me. She would always tell me what was on her mind... what made her concerned... what was bothering her. Nara trusted me. One day, I told her that if I died, she wouldn't cry... that she would be brave. .
.
Nara didn't fully break into sorrow. She stood still in her place like the others. However, in her eyes, I sensed she was suffering inside. She's just a tortured soul, like me. Her perfectly straight, long, platinum hair flowed with the breeze. She was the only one who had worn a dress: black with a silver trimming. Her blue-green eyes were the only ones that were not corrupted. .
.
When Nara was concerned about Faith, I told her the truth: Faith loved Lucero and I was just her friend. I've heard from Zeto that I'm the only important person on her mind. Abyss stressed the fact that Nara loved me. If only I could tell her how I'd feel...

I then looked at the puzzle. It opened to unveil the Twilight Diamond. I had a choice. I have to decide between what I cherish most and my lust for power... Like any sane person, I cherished my life... my liberation... my friends...
.
In a matter of moments, I would lose them all. We needed THREE of the five Twilight Diamonds and a soul of a remnant.

The Final X initially had one Twilight Diamond. Lucero had another Twilight Diamond. Vladimir, the Traveler of Fire, had the third. I easily defeated Vladimir and obtained his Diamond. I demanded that Faith would meet me at Sidus Cemetery (the setting where this event is currently taking place) and bring Lucero's Twilight Diamond. She gave the Twilight Diamond to me. The Final X had the three Twilight Diamonds in their grasp.

The soul of a remnant... A remnant like Lucero, Nara, or any of the other Final X. I ended up assuming the role of relinquishing my soul... .
.
I was speechless... I had to respond to what was going around me, but I hardly could.

Saku: My blood.... I've never seen any blood before...
Lucero: It's... It's my fault! It's my fault that you're... dying. Why?

Saku gave a weak chuckle.

Again, speechless.

Saku: It's not..... your fault. It's not..... Faith's fault...... nor Rival's. It's my fault...
Faith: No, it's not. Rival: Don't be ridiculous, Saku.
Lucero: I was supposed to die. Why did you save me?! .
.
Saku smiled.

What should I tell him as I was my life was slipping away within his sight?

Saku: Because....... you are like a book, Lucero............. waiting to be opened..... waiting to be read...

With that statement, Saku solemnly closed his once fierce eyes. I wish I could smile. I wish I could tell Lucero, Faith, and Rival that everything will be alright...

My mind, heart, and body departed into the heavenly and peaceful part of my own oblivion...

Lucero: Saku... SAKU! SAKU!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!

He grabbed Saku's shoulders. Lucero shook Saku's dead body, desperately trying to believe he was only sleeping and he could wake up. He glared at the Final X members. The Final X members were staring at Lucero, as if he was only a psychotic madman. One of the Final X members was holding the puzzle that contained the Twilight Diamond. It was opened. The diamond glistened in the hands of the more orderly members: Xavier. Xavier's silver hair was long, wavy and curly. His emerald green eyes pierced Lucero.

Lucero: You... YOU DID THIS!!!
Xavier: Me?

A melodic laugh came from Xavier. It wasn't maniacal like Saku's. It was similar to a musical instrument.

Xavier: This was Saku's plan, you naive remnant... .
.
He stepped out of his place and elegantly glided across the ground to Saku's body.

Xavier: ...The fragment...

Lucero began to lunge at Xavier. Then it all came in a blur. With a simple flick of his wrist, Xavier uncovered his gleaming rapier. Before Lucero could even pull out his sword, Xavier flicked his wrist again... this time it was more pronounced. Xavier's rapier carved deeply into Lucero's leg. Before Lucero could even bleed, Scythe and Abyss stepped in and seized Lucero from further attacking. Other Final X members seized both Faith and Rival.

Xavier: Why the sudden protectiveness? A moment ago, you were at his throat...

Lucero said nothing as Xavier let out a drawn sigh.

Xavier: Friendship. It is such a burden...

Xavier then stared at his left hand. Within seconds, all the veins in his left arm glowed with an emerald luster. He raised it in the air. A strong zephyr passed; Xavier's entire left arm was engulfed in green flames. The fire then shot out into the air. Moments later, emerald green flames surrounded Saku's body. Saku's peaceful body floated in the air. It emitted a white, silvery light. A shining orb with color of ice blue was released from Saku... his soul. However, not all of his soul was ice blue for it was corrupted with a lime green... apparently it was the fragment of Shadesu's soul. Xavier had spread his hands across the sky. Shadesu's green fragment separated from Saku's ice blue soul. Saku's ice blue soul crumbled and rained upon Saku's corpse. It seemed that it was absorbed.

Xavier held Shadesu's soul fragment in the air. He then grabbed Shadesu's sword. Xavier walked to Shadesu's grave. He crumbled the green fragment and let it pieces rain upon the grave - it was soon absorbed into the ground.

Xavier: The Diamonds...

A cloaked Final X member placed the three Twilight Diamonds on top of the grave. It soon gave off a bright blue luster. They floated in the air and began orbiting around the tombstone. As the diamonds spun at uncharted speeds, the distance between the tombstone and the revolving diamonds gradually increased. Earthquakes erupted. At an instant, Shadesu's grave emitted a bright, green light. Afterwards, a giant green beam had shot into the night sky, from Shadesu's grave. This beam had split the clouds apart, unveiling the magnificent stars behind it. The cemetery slowly turned into a massacre. The boulders, tombstones, and the bones that lay beneath them, were flying in the air, orbiting around the green beam - as if this beam was the center of gravity for everything in the cemetery. The iron gates and surrounding buildings caved in. The only ones that were not affected by the small gravitational pull (compared to the Earth's) were the mortals.

In the midst of everything, Lucero, Faith and Rival broke free from the Final X members' clutches. They sprinted towards Saku's body, dodging the oncoming tombstones. Once they were a few feet away from Saku's body, Lucero, Faith, Rival, and Saku disappeared.

Soon, the flying, rotating objects stopped and gently fell to the ground. The Twilight Diamonds had stopped shining and, like the other objects, dropped to the ground. A dark figure walked out of the green pillar of light. The Final X members kneeled in reaction. The green beam then disintegrated behind the deity. Xavier presented Shadesu's sword - a blood-stained, scratched 6-foot long blade. Silently, the shadowy character gripped the sword and examined it briefly. The figure simply walked past the members into a spot that was dimly lit, unveiling his features. .
.
He was a male hedgehog. His fur was whiter than the snow, paler than any of the remnants. As empty this white can be, ironically, small rainbows can be seen in an angle. His hair was long - down to his waist. A few small locks of his hair had spiked out. The bangs (or fringes) that perfectly curtained his face were shoulder length. His face was solemn as he stared at the Final X members. His vibrant green eyes pierced the souls of the Final X members. Xavier stood up.

Xavier: Sh-Shadesu?
____________

Four figures were at a beach in the middle of the night. One was standing on the shoreline, looking out into the horizon... deep in thought. Another one was sitting in the sand, also in thought. Beside them, was another figure lying on the sand, apparently dead. The last, a feminine figure, was crouched beside the dead one.

____________

The sun falls quicker than its time to rise.

Days are eclipsed into night.

It is such a cold demise.

Why not end in delight?

shadow_17705 Presents

Traveler of Light
Chapter 17: Serene Night, Part III

____________

Everything was completely drenched in rain. Rival's eyes were focused on the two members of the Final X - Saku and Zeto. Saku broke into laughter.

Saku: Ironic... Funny how darkness saves the light and... how evil saves-

Rival: Darkness is not associated with evil.

Saku continues.

Saku: Good and evil... Light and darkness... How can you not associate them?

Zeto: Enough...

Zeto threw his giant sword at Rival. Rival deflected the sword back to him. Zeto had then caught it. Rival dashed towards Zeto and sliced him up with his two swords. Afterwards, Zeto forcefully swung his sword at Rival. Rival dodged by doing a barrel roll, and in the process, having a few hairs cut off by the enormously large sword. Rival then jumped on top of a large tombstone. His hand then emitted a pitch black aura. Within seconds, he had fired a massive amount of dark spears. Both Saku and Zeto dodged the spears with ease.

Saku then rushed up to Rival and slashed his sword repeatedly at him. Rival tried to guard the millions of sword motions - vertical, horizontal, and diagonal - but had lost his step. Rival was caught off guard and got cut up instantly.

Saku: Chaos Oblivion!

Rival gets pummeled through the ground, forming another crater.

Rival: Ugh...

Saku jumped in the crater as Rival stumbled to get up.

Saku: What? No more fighting? Why? Things got a little more interesting.

Saku jabbed his fist into Rival's stomach. With a growl, Rival then smashed his fist into Saku's face. Saku stumbled backwards. Rival rushed up to him and attempted to kick his face. However Saku had done a back flip and avoided the oncoming kick to the face. Saku dashed towards Rival and grasps his neck. Even though he is a little shorter than Rival (Saku's height is the same as Lucero's), Saku lifted Rival's body up and then battered him into the ground. He forcefully threw various vigorous punches at Rival's increasingly strained body.

However, with such persistence, Rival clenched his hands into the mud the rain had formed. His aching bones were strained even further. Rival slowly got up, letting the heavy rain drown his face. It seemed useless to continue. He dragged his feet towards Saku. Rival had just noticed that Saku was laughing quietly. They then exchanged punches and kicks. After some time, Saku is caught off guard. He then falls on the ground.

Rival then reaches for his sword. With a smirk, Saku grabs a handful of dry dirt (found under a boulder that had shielded it from the rain) nearby and throws it at Rival's eyes. This temporarily blinds Rival. He growls at the agonizing sting. Saku picks up Shadesu's sword. He slashes horizontally at Rival's head. Without any sense, Rival ducked as he felt the sharp, fierce wind beating against his face. Saku's sword had sliced through air and the rain.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Lucero jumps in to defend Rival.

Lucero: Rival!

Rival: Lucero?

Within seconds, Rival could see.

Saku: Lucero... Back so soon?

Rival hands Lucero's sword back to its owner. Saku readies Shadesu's long sword. Soon, a white aura surrounded Lucero. A green aura surrounded Saku.

Saku: So... Will this end up like our last fight? Will it be absolutely dull? Or will it be entertaining?

The rain fell from the sky with complete, brute force. The rain pounded on the ground, tombstones, far away houses and buildings, and everyone that is outside in the middle of the storm. It was practically raining everywhere you will see.

Lucero and Saku both clashed their swords. The ringing sound of the sword impacts echoed throughout the air. Clash after clash, sharp sound after sound, it was apparent that Lucero and Saku were evenly matched. Soon, they locked their swords. They both forced their swords against the other. The swords were unable to move, grinding against each other. Sparks were flying in all directions. The sound of thunder rumbled throughout the air. The thunder grew louder as Lucero and Saku levitated in the air. The grinds of rage between the two swords continued. The ear-splitting sound of thunder grew as the swords had thrust against the other. The swords had then parted with a shrieking screech. Soon, lightning had exploded out of the rainy clouds and into the skies. The two blades continued to crash, but no blood had spilled. Lightning and thunder continued as Lucero and Saku brawled endlessly.

Saku: Chaos...

Lucero: Chaos...

Lucero and Saku: OBLIVION!

The two remnants had fired their Chaos Oblivions at each other at the same second. Half of the cemetery was demolished due to the power. Tombstones, rocks, dust, and rain were flying in several directions. Saku flew into the ground near Faith and Rival - who were seized by the members of the Final X, and Shadesu's grave. Lucero was flung into the side of a mountain. He then crashed down into the ground Saku slowly got up, laughing.

Saku: This.....This relieved... my boredom. I'm a little surprised, Lucero. If only it was a little longer...

Saku pulled out a Desert Eagle handgun. Lucero rushed at Saku, but he stopped when Saku pointed the gun at Faith's head. Saku chuckled.

Saku: I suppose you have some sort of weakness...

Lucero: Don't do it...

Saku: Of course I won't. I wouldn't do anything to harm Faith.

Lucero: Let her go!

Saku: Not yet, Lucero. I just want to use her in this little experiment...

Lucero: Experiment?

Saku: If we can't put an end to this...

He hands the gun to Faith.

Saku: ...she will.

Lucero: Faith?

Saku: This is how cruel irony can be...

Faith: This is insane. I'm not going to kill anyone.

Saku: Why not?

Faith: I love Lucero and I still consider you as a friend.

Saku: You're relationship with him will end sooner or later. Stop the sorrow now.

Lucero: Friend?! Saku was using us the whole time.

Saku: And soon Lucero would manipulate you as well... He doesn't love you.

Lucero: He was going to kill you if I hadn't shown up in time.

Saku: Lucero never confessed his love to you. You already doubt him.

Lucero: I would never leave you to die. You're my life, Faith!

Saku: Like he never said that to some other girl before. Don't trust him. You don't need him.

Lucero: Faith, no!

Faith: ......SHUT UP!!!

In an instant, the sound a gunshot pierced the air...

TO BE CONTINUED...

Yeah. I hope you enjoy it. I don't have anything else to say. Lol. I'll try to get Traveler of Light Chapter 16: Serene Night, Part III by New Years... hopefully. Later!