You Whispered My Name As You Died

This is my second-greatest literary work ever. It's a single-chapter story, so feel free to comment afterward. Grab a tissue box and enjoy.


Copyright 2004. All characters, concepts and storylines herein are owned and copyrighted by Silver Lining Co.. Use of these without my permission and/or for profit and/or monetary gain, in any form, is strictly prohibited.





You Whispered My Name as You Died

Sea gulls floated lazily over the glowing, red waters as the sun sunk slowly behind the horizon, casting everything that beheld its glory in golden and orange. At the summit of a cliff, overlooking the golden-red waters of the Propontis River, stood two embracing figures, gazing out at the glorious sunset. They were both content just to watch the beauty of Mother Earth unfold in the cosmos, flinging its wondrous radiance the world over.

Behind the figures, a forest shrouded a small dirt path, worn between the trees, in soft darkness. Beyond that forest lay a trail that meandered down the side of a small mountain. That mountain and its neighboring mountains formed a ring around a valley of rolling hills. Surrounded by those hills, a richly adorned residence rose up, belittled by the massive beauty around it. On foot, the hills obscured it; from the sky, it could not be seen.

Free from the obligations of the Alliance, Blitz and Amy had built their own home in an isolated valley, hidden inside a mountainous ring near the remains of Roma Mater. They had a daughter of five, now, and she was showing promise in her training as a future member of the Alliance. Too, the mountainous terrain housed many untapped reserves of raw elemental energy, so training as a caster was simple and necessary. For now, however, young Terra would live quietly in the mansion built by her parents, showered in love, kindness, and practically every material need or want her heart could conjure.

Amy wore a silky white blouse and a long, baby-blue skirt that flowed down to her ankles. Her soft, brunette hair was tied into a ponytail that fell to the small of her back, and was adorned with a large red ribbon; strands of soft brown fell down to her shoulders on either cheek. Her bangs were cropped in the way that her husband said gave her a 'girlish beauty'. A pristine sapphire hung from each ear, sparkling as a ruby in the light of sunset. The runic crystal that spawned the Mist Staff—her ideal weapon—hung on an ironcast chain around her neck.

Blitz was less extravagantly attired with a simple gray tunic and matching trousers. The cuffs were upturned around brown running shoes. His sole accessory was a pair of black fingerless gloves, though he did have a beltstrap around his waist to which the Supernova Sword was sheathed.

Both of them had learned long ago that going about unarmed, even in this paradisaic sanctuary, was begging for greedy assassins or opportunists. And so, despite the detraction from comfort and scenery, they carried their weapons with them everywhere. They rarely let their guard down, but even then, one could expect to glimpse a runic crystal or sword sheathe. Once, an assassin had attacked Amy and Terra in the dead of night at the mansion and, had Blitz not been restlessly sleeping that night, he would not have been able to apprehend the fool.

But, for the most part, everything here was quiet with solitude, happy with companionship. There was never a dull or lonely moment at the mansion in the hills of Mater.
"It's so peaceful," Amy sighed on Blitz' shoulder. "Why didn't we retire sooner?"

Blitz did not answer, for he knew that she could read his mind. While Amy was no telepath, the bond between them ran so deep and strong that each of the two could sense the thoughts and emotions of the other. Through all of their campaigns as agents, it was not surprising that they knew one another so well. Amy correctly expected that her husband would crack some inane or lame joke that would cause her to laugh for some reason or another.

Softly, Amy chuckled; she had already predicted his words.

"It's a bit industrial, but I could grow to like it here," Blitz said, a grin on his face.

She rested her head on his shoulder, her hair tickling his neck, and watched the sun slowly descend into the waves. Soon, the stars were visible.

Blitz released Amy from his embrace and stretched his arms over his head, yawning a little. "It's getting late," he said before he had even finished yawning. "Maybe we should go back?" Amy nodded in agreement, her face still lit with an enchanting smile. "Yes," she whispered, her voice a choir of angels singing to Blitz' ears. "Terra will be waiting."

A quiet sound from behind, a faint ruffle in the forest, sounded an alarm in Blitz' ears. The back of his mind shouted to him, Intruder!

Amy sensed her husband's nervous energy and quickly looked about for sign of a Dark Horizon agent. "What is it, Blitz?" she asked as her eyes searched for any possible threat.

But Blitz stepped in front of her, spreading his arms in defense of her. Amy crouched low to the ground, gripping the tiny runic crystal around her neck, feeling the cool surface radiate at her touch. "Who are you?" Blitz shouted demandingly into the forest.

There was no response, not even a breath.

Determined that he and his wife were being watched by hidden eyes from the shadows, he shouted once more. "Whoever you are, show yourself!"

But, again, there was no response. No twigs snapped under booted feet, no sword slipped from its sheath, and no gun rose from its holster. Beside the waves, the quiet breathing of his wife, and the cawing of gulls, there was no sound at all.

Blitz let his muscles relax a little and lowered his arms. Turning slightly to face Amy, he rested his hand on the pommel of his sword. "Perhaps we shouldn't stick to the path on our way back," he said.

Suddenly, there was a shout from the underbrush, and a flat, rotating shadow spun through the air toward them. Blitz grabbed Amy's shoulder and hurled both of them out of the way as the weapon zipped past, heading out over the ocean. In midair, the rotating object reversed direction and, just for a moment, Blitz could see that the shadow was a hookblade shrouded in darkness. The weapon spun back into the brush, faster than lightning, before either Blitz or Amy could do a thing about it. Then there was a clanking sound and a shadowy figure sailed out of the forest, practically invisible against the nighttime sky. A cloak trailed behind the figure, whipping in the strong wind that had suddenly appeared. The figure descended on them, striking down with a hand of razor-sharp claws.

Blitz cried out and fell to his knees as the claws tore through tunic and chain mail underneath, leaving three bloody scars. Amy rose from her crouch behind him, worried though she was, and whispered an incantation, clutching the crystal on her necklace. The shiny jewel expanded, suddenly, into a long, plump staff of translucent ice. Dancing gracefully around Blitz, she swung the weapon into the cloaked assailant like a bludgeon. The staff made contact, and the figure sailed back into a tree.

Blitz stood and unsheathed his sword, gripping the hilt tightly, trying to ignore the fiery pain in his chest. "Kyros!" he shouted at the cloaked assailant. "How dare you attack my family? We are no longer in the service of the Alliance!"

The figure laughed, slowly and deeply at first, but then guffawed at the young swordsman. Standing, the assassin let the cloak fall from his shoulders, revealing the metallic gleam of Kyros, the Dark Armor. "As I have said on many occasion, my boy, I shall personally see to it that all those who stand against me die," came the deep rasp of its voice. "Few, other than the Tears, have ever laid eyes upon my countenance. They have their own enemies amongst my men." Kyros beckoned with his left hand and the hookblade known as the Wraith’s Claw suddenly atomized in the dark lord's palm. "Only the Tears have a personal vendetta against me, and they shall pay dearly for their crimes against Dark Horizon."

Blitz tensed, predicting an attack, just as the Dark Armor maneuvered. The way the monster moved, it was almost as though he floated through the air, for his feet never touched the ground when he ran. The metallic clang of steel on steel rang in the air as Blitz drew his sword and parried the attack with one smooth motion. Amy, who stood beside him, stepped back and whispered another incantation, holding her Mist Staff high. From the hook at its end, a milky blue mist billowed out; within moments, the entire cliff was shrouded in a thick haze.

Amy followed by slipping by Kyros as he lashed out at her, and bludgeoning him from the opposite side, sending the metallic beast careening into the deepest part of the mist. Blitz muttered a silent 'thanks' to Amy as she sidled up to him and whispered into his ear, "The footing here is uncertain. We must retreat to lower ground, but not to the house--we don't want to put Terra in danger."

Blitz nodded in agreement and let Amy take his hand--she could see beyond the mist while he could not. His wife led him through the trees, away from the path, and down the mountainside. All the while, Kyros was in hot pursuit, leaping from treetop to treetop like a skydemon. Before they reached the first-quarter mark down the mountain trail, the Dark Armor landed before them, whipped around, and slashed horizontally with his saber. Amy barely managed to skid to a halt before the weapon made contact, and leapt back. Blitz surged forward with his own sword, countering the attack with a downward slash.

But Kyros was not inexperienced in battle, and sidestepped the attack with ease. Power from deep within his being welled up, leaping forth in the form of black lightning. Seeing the threat, Blitz took one great leap back up the steep mountain slope just as a bolt of electric energy ignited where he had stood moments before. The aura around Kyros continued to grow brighter and more massive until it touched the trees around him, shrouding his entire frame in darkness.

Blitz turned around and grabbed Amy's hand, rushing back up the mountain trail. The footing was not easy, and he feared he would slip, but relenting in retreat would ensure a quick death. Behind them, just as they reached the summit overlooking the Propontis again, an eruption shook the mountain. Amy turned to see the trees further down the slope ignite in black fire and lightning, crumble to nothing in mere moments. 'That could have been us,' she thought fearfully.

The situation was no less dangerous, though, for the two were now subject to the bad terrain at the peak that overlooked the river. Kyros would catch up to them in moments, she knew, and the battle would be just as hard. Things were not looking good; all nine of the Tears had fought Kyros together on numerous occasions, but never had they defeated him. How could only two survive?

"Amy," said Blitz as even more trees were consumed by the black radiance, "we can't defeat Kyros here, but we can't retreat either. Any ideas?"

Forged from fear and hopelessness, a single tear welled up in Amy's eyes as she gazed at her husband's face. She struggled with the bleak outlook of their future, trying to come up with some sort of plan. But she could not think clearly--perhaps the smoke rising from the forest was clouding her thought?

Seeing that Amy was at a complete lack for words, Blitz turned to look at the river, now illuminated slightly by the moon. His eyes turned downward, toward the waters beneath the cliff. The drop did not seem too far, though sharp rocks might be concealed beneath the waves.

Amy must have sensed his thoughts, for she gasped in shock. "Blitz! We cannot abandon Terra!"

"I know, I know!" he cried out, his mind wracked by a depression resulting from the fear for his wife and child. It seemed there was nothing to do but stand and fight, but that would almost surely result in a quick death. Prolonged battle against something like the Dark Armor was not a good idea. Unlike humans, machines never made mistakes, given that such was not in their program. Kyros was the perfect warrior--he could neither forget, nor make a false move; he would never swerve from his ideals; he knew his strengths from his weaknesses, and could not feel pain.

Blitz cursed aloud, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly for comfort. But he could see no other option. Retreat was impossible, for they could not abandon Terra; returning to the villa would do no good either, putting their daughter in immediate danger. While it did not seem like the best idea, the only thing he could do was fight.

Blitz looked down the mountain slope. The black lightning was approaching the peak of the mountain, lighting trees aflame and throwing up wafts of smoke and superheated air. There was no possibility of slipping past Kyros, not on this terrain.

"Wait, Blitz," Amy said, turning him to face her. She pressed her hand to his chest, knitting the three scars closed seemingly without effort. Though he had seen this on many occasions, her healing powers still amazed the swordsman. "There. Now don't throw yourself into his attack like that again, you hear me?" Amy's chiding tone made Blitz chuckle, which was very out of place.

The youthful swordsman turned to face his enemy again. Kyros was awaiting his gaze before the burning forest, not caring to restrain the fury in his face. "This shall be your death," he said, holding up a palm and forming a crackling ball of darkness energy. "Take solace in that you will not suffer, you rodents!" The sphere of energy launched itself toward Blitz and Amy, but the two leapt aside, brandishing their own weapons of mass destruction. Sailing harmlessly into the nighttime sky, the orb erupted in a flurry of sparks and smoke, lighting the sky with white radiance for a brief moment. Kyros seethed at their evasion of his attack, gritting his metallic teeth.

Blitz surged forward, sword outright, and rammed the Dark Armor through with every ounce of his strength, taxing though it may have been. The point of his sword connected with a flash of sparks, but the sword did not penetrate Kyros' thick armor plating; instead, the momentum hurled them both into the burning forest, slammed them into a nearby tree.

A cool wind passed over Blitz; Amy was influencing the air currents with her power. The flames lighting the trees suddenly died, leaving dead oaken limbs and blind darkness where illumination once was. 'Clever,' thought Blitz, 'if we can't have that power, neither shall he.'

Struggling to hold the writhing metallic carapace in the dirt with the tip of his sword, Blitz summoned up the energy from the cool air, letting it flow into the weapon, eking a startled look and a swear from the Dark Armor. Charged with fiery energy, the blade began to glow a dark red, flames licking across its surface. "You won't win today, Kyros. Not while I'm still breathing!" Blitz taunted as he drew upon the energy hidden in the soil and the remaining heat in the dead trees. Suddenly, the blade burst into flame with such force that Blitz was rocketed away by an explosion that lit the surrounding trees like torches again. Without hesitation, he immediately called upon the energy resulting from his own attack and, clenching his fists, fueled his hands with the power. They also caught fire, but immunity to one's own element was a common attribute in casters; the flames did not harm him or char his skin.

The dust from the explosion settled, revealing Kyros on his feet, unrestrained fury evident in every millimeter of his metallic carapace. "This is not your day of victory, Keir! I shall be the one who walks away from this alive, leaving behind the charred corpses of you and your wretched family!!" the Dark Armor sneered.

Blitz smirked in anticipation of battle, but the expression quickly died. Every ounce of his power, so well stored in he and his blade, suddenly vanished, slipping through his fingers like sand. 'I don't believe it... He stole my energy!' It was true, for Blitz could sense that Kyros was glowing like a star for all the power he had suddenly acquired. The swordsman could not even maintain enough of the raw energy to fuel the fire in his fists.

"I shall kill you with your own strength, Keir!" bellowed the Dark Armor, and he surged forward with lightning speed, hand outstretched, open-palmed.

The swordsman was unable to move away in time; Kyros' palm slammed into his face, releasing a burst of energy so condensed that Blitz felt as though his head had imploded. Fresh agony blossomed in his skull, searing his mind and overpowering all thought. So great was the force of the attack that he was hurled up the slope, spiraling and flailing like a ragdoll. His eyes saw, but his mind was distant. The ground rolled over, dead trees spinning wildly until a sharp pain ignited in his head, then he saw sky. His back burned as he skid, ripped by sharp, tiny rocks on the slope, then he came to a sudden halt. Amy was kneeling over him, completely surprised by the manner in which he hurtled out of the forest and landed at her feet. She reached down to apply her power and knit his wounds, but her eyes turned upward, and she stumbled backwards.

Blitz was too dazed by Kyros' furious attack to focus on anything; his consciousness began to wander dangerously far from his body. There was a faint blur high above, an indistinct speck of nothingness outlined by the starlight. Without warning, Blitz' mind was sent spiraling by a fresh new pain in his abdomen. There was a jingling sound as his mail armor fell apart, scattering metal links across the dirt. Consciousness began to slip away, lured by that burning, all-encompassing agony that throbbed in his stomach. The swordsman hardly had strength enough to lift his head and see that a hook-bladed sword protruded from his stomach, pinning him to the ground.

Amy called out to him, and through sheer force of will, he did not lose himself in that pain. Blitz could not move, but her cry ripped him away from the dazed state. Reality slammed back into him like a brick to the face, and he was then aware of the excruciating blaze of pain in his abdomen. The pain was amplified tenfold, and he moaned woozily, which caused a tremor to rip through his stomach. Even breathing was difficult.

"Blitz! No!" called Amy as the Dark Armor rose from his handiwork and stepped away. She could plainly see the terrible agony in her husband's face and eyes. Sadness swept over her, then anger, and that fueled her power. Raw reserves of energy crackled in the air, and she called them to her with a ferocious appetite. Kyros was aware of her sudden shift in power, and he summoned his own energy to form an invisible ward against the oncoming attack. Amy curled her left hand into a fist, pouring all of the energy she could muster and contain into the palm of her hand. Air around her glistened with pristine beauty, but she paid no attention. All of her focus was on the swarm of energy gathering in her fist. Cool air filtered around her, causing a refreshing breeze to pick up. "How ironic that I, the healer, would be the one to kill you?" she mocked, a grin of pure malice on her face. "Do not strike my family, or you shall suffer a woman’s wrath!"

A tiny orb of condensed energy appeared in her fist, shining so brilliantly that her skin turned blue with its radiance. With a cry, she hurled it forth toward the Dark Armor, fueling it with kinetic energy even as it flew forward. The sphere impacted with Kyros' ward, smearing across its surface and suddenly bursting, flinging its power in all directions. Kyros' battle ward shuddered and failed, giving way under the horrific power before him. He began to cry out, but the sound vanished as the icy energy swept over him, encasing him in a spiky, spindly, spherical prison of ice.

Amy rushed to Blitz' side, kneeling in the growing pool of blood, worry replacing the raw hatred in her face. "Blitz, are you alright?"

"I suppose," he mumbled in a hoarse voice, the movement of his vocal chords causing a ripple of pain to sear through him. Fortunately, he did not have to speak for her to know what to do.

Amy took hold of the sword hilt gently, and gave it a very slight tug. Blitz gasped in pain, for the blade had lodged on something inside his abdomen. Sensing this, for she was a skilled physician, Amy released the hilt and reached down to where the blade met his flesh. "The blade is caught on your diaphragm!" she exclaimed in horror.

"Is that bad?" Blitz joked, and immediately regretted it as another throe ripped through him. Lifting his arm, he indicated the sharp edge of the hook jutting from his flesh.

Amy nodded. "Yes, it's very bad. Your diaphragm is imperative to breathing. If I don't get the blade out, you could die of hemorrhage, or possibly even suffocate."

Blitz tried not to gulp. There was a faint gurgling sound, drawing the attention of the couple, and the untended spherical prison fashioned a sharp crack in its surface. Amy gasped as the prison suddenly burst apart, scattering frozen shrapnel in all directions. Quickly, she summoned a ward to defend against whatever might come at her, or her patient's, way. Sharp pikes of ice pinged against the unseen shield, bouncing away like tennis balls.

Kyros glowed as the sun in the hidden world, so full of raw energy that Blitz' vision blurred; though that could have been the concussion. The Dark Armor approached slowly, menacingly, sparks of electric energy surging across his body, caused by the friction of energies in the air. There was only one way to stop a power that great: attack without relent. But Blitz was pinned to the ground, unable even to raise his sword. His head turned toward Amy, and she gave him a desperate, pleading look.

Cackling maniacally, Kyros called forth a bolt of lightning to test his power; it struck less than a meter from Amy, and she flinched at the searing heat emanating from the bolt. A small crater was left behind. "This home of yours was a wise choice, Keir," said the Dark Armor snidely. "It is so simple to call upon the raw power in these hills and mountains. Why, I feel absolutely vibrant here!" He raised his hands and another two thunderbolts came from the dark clouds gathering above, striking two plated spikes on the dark lord's shoulders. Unlike regular lightning, the bolts maintained, hanging in the air like string lit with white-hot flames. "You see? Even the skies of Roma Mater hold limitless might! It is only too ironic that the power you sought for security will bring about your end."

Suddenly, the Dark Armor's eyes fell upon the healer. Amy stumbled backward, scrambling away like a frightened animal. Fueled with almost limitless strength, Kyros bolted forward, swooping down on the girl and seizing her by the neck. He stood, holding his prize aloft in triumph with one hand. Amy gripped the metallic clamp, trying to keep the Dark Armor from crushing her throat. "You should have left your daughter behind, unprotected—now you all are doomed."

Blitz watched in sheer horror as the lightning at his shoulder surged down Kyros' free arm and clung to Amy like a spider web caught in the winds. The girl tried to cry out, but the heat drowned the air in her throat, choking her. Soft blue eyes lit up like strobe lights, her mouth hanging wide in desperate terror. "No!" the wounded swordsman cried out, his hand reaching out to his suffering wife. But he could not help her, and it tore at his soul. Tears began to stream down his face.

When Amy's body began to twitch spasmodically, Kyros cut the bolt short, and her arms fell limply to her sides. The dark lord sneered at the girl hanging helplessly in his rediron fist. Though her hair and clothes smoked, and her skin was red, she still breathed irregularly. "Quite painful isn't it, my dear?" Kyros' tone was almost mock-kindness, and it made Blitz retch horribly. "I could continue to make you suffer in terrible ways while your husband watches, unable to lift any more than a finger; or I could end your life right now." A malicious smile spread across the Dark Armor's face. "Seeing as how you are so cooperative, I shall give you the option."

Amy's eyes turned to Blitz, and the pleading he saw in them filled him with sorrow. The tears came freely from his eyes, and his arm that he had reached out to her fell to the earth. He could not speak, for the intense sadness in her eyes caused his throat to spasm. Silently, he mouthed the words, "I'm sorry." Unable to look at her like this, he tried to force his head away. But his eyes could not abandon her; he would have to watch her die.

Kyros frowned, not noticing the sad exchange between the two, and became irritated when his captive did not respond to him. "Fine then," he said, clenching his fist around her neck. Her mouth and eyes opened wide, her head rolling back; no air entered her lungs. "I shall decide for you!" Flames leapt from his outstretched fist, licking across his fingers and palm like the wind.

Amy trembled silently, and Blitz felt his heart sink even beneath his feet. "Please," he mouthed, for he still could not speak, "don't die, my love. Please don't die."

Her eyes turned to him, filled with pain and sadness. "I love you," she mouthed.

Flames erupted from the Dark Armor's palm, only for an instant, licking across the limp girl hanging in his rediron fist, and she cried out in agony. The sharp flames entered like daggers through her skin, searing through her from within, burning and charring her from the inside out.

"Amy!!" Blitz shouted aloud, no longer aware of the intense pain that surged through him. Desperate, he reached for the hilt of the blade lodged in his abdomen. Whether it was caught on his diaphragm or not, he could not stand to watch his wife die like this. He gave a sharp tug on the hilt, and nearly passed out from the fresh burst of pain. Gagging, he released the sword and flopped over.

The sound distracted Kyros, and he momentarily ceased his torture of the poor cleric girl. Amy gasped as the flames died in her, sucking precious air into her burning lungs. "So you object to my punishment of you rebels?" he said dryly. Lowering his arm and dragging the half-dead girl across the dirt, Kyros knelt before the wounded swordsman. "Perhaps you should have turned your services over to me when you had the chance, fool." Standing, raising his foot, Kyros slammed down on the pommel of the Wraith’s Claw, forcing it further into the gaping wound. Blitz gasped in terrible agony; his chest heaved and his mouth opened wide, but only a choked gurgle came out. It felt as though someone had sawed off his legs at the waist. "I will spare no mercy to those who continually defy me. My cause is absolute, and thus are my dealings with my enemies."

Kyros hefted the limp Amy into the air for Blitz to see. Her skin was an awful red, black in some places, and her hair was singed, but still retained that girlish beauty that made the boy feel so protective of her. Those soft blue eyes that made his heart leap were now sad and dead. It was unbearable to watch her suffer at the hands of this monster, to be unable to save her.

"My very purpose is to bring about the Darkening Hour," continued Kyros, apparently unaware that no one cared to listen. "Naturally, both of you would become an obstacle when the final hour drew near. So I shall destroy you now, before you have a chance to further interfere with my ideals."

The Dark Armor hoisted Amy into the air again, holding her by the nape of her neck. "You see how your wife suffers? Do you want me to end her wretched existence now and save you both the pain?"

Kyros' smile of satisfaction bore at the hatred welling up in Blitz. With that hatred, some of the pain began to dwindle, but it still burned in his chest and stomach. "Go to Hell." His eyes were slits, his voice dripping with venom.

But the dark lord only laughed again, throwing his head back in delight. "You are defiant to the very end, Keir! Surely a thorn in my side."

The hatred bred deep within Blitz' soul began to boil, and a little more of the pain ebbed away. Still, he was too fatigued even to lift an accusing finger. "I will die long before I allow you to kill my beloved."

"Oh, that can be arranged!"

Unbeknownst to Kyros, a tear appeared in Amy's eye. Blitz averted his gaze to keep from crying himself. He suddenly wished he had not said those words.

"But it would not satisfy my need for revenge," Kyros explained casually. "You have struck against Dark Horizon countless times, panged me again and again. I must strike her near death at least once for each time you rose against me, before I can kill her. And you must watch her suffer, as I also watched my ideals and contrivances shattered by your sword." He gestured intellectually with his free hand, absolute surety all about him. "You see, my boy, it is merely a matter of tipping the scales until they are once again even. I shall be the one to return the scales to their resting place, and I will do so in the most painful ways my infinitely vast mind can conceive of." Kyros' fist clenched, indicating finality. "And I hope you enjoy the show."

A dark aura bubbled into existence around Amy, outlining her in black and dark violet. Blitz saw the dark tendrils phasing into reality and recognized them immediately. That same technique had once been used on his foster mother, Jacqueline, to strangle her near death. Back then, he had incapacitated the user, but now he was pinned down by a hookblade. Terror had risen up in young Jacqueline's eyes as all the air was sucked from her lungs, and the fluids in her body began to boil; surely one of the most awful ways to die.

"No!" Blitz cried out, and on the spur of the moment, he summoned up an enormous amount of energy. Raising his hand, he let the fiery incantation fly from his limp body, and strike the Dark Armor full in the face. There was a deafening roar, then dust and dirt was forced upward by the wind to shroud the entire cliff in a thick, unbreatheable haze. Blitz held his breath in his throat, waiting for vision to return. When the dust cleared, Amy was lying on the ground, coughing, and the aura around her was gone. Kyros had vanished as well. The tense moment finally over, Blitz gave a sigh of relief and breathed heavily.

His wife, wounded as she was, crawled to his side. He looked into her eyes and saw fresh tears, as well as trails left by old tears. Silently, she placed one hand on the pommel of the hookblade, still jutting from the swordsman's abdomen. She seemed to hesitate. After a moment, she said, "It would be pointless to heal the wound before I pull out the sword. This is going to hurt like Hell, but you should live." She gave a fake smile, and Blitz returned it. As she reached for the hilt, her smile turned to cool determination. "Thanks to Kyros, it's no longer caught on your diaphragm. Brace yourself." Her fingers clenched around the leather hilt, tightening until her knuckles turned white.

Blitz obeyed, tensing his stomach muscles against the sword. Then, Amy gave a sharp tug, and the blade heaved upward. A gurgling groan escaped Blitz throat as he felt the sharp edges grate against flesh. When he looked up, the blade had half-emerged from his stomach, all too visible. The mere sight of it made him nauseous.

"This is the tricky part," said Amy. "I have to pull the blade out without catching it on anything. I can't prevent that from happening, so it's all up to chance now."

Blitz groaned; this was going to hurt.

Something moved in the corner of his vision, and he quickly called the name of his wife, alerting her. Suddenly, a shadow leapt from the edge of the cliff, soaring into the air and bobbing a quarter-of-a-mile over their heads.

"Damn!" cursed Amy quietly. "I just needed a few more seconds..."

"Fools!" the Dark Armor shouted, loud booming voice carrying easily over the distance between he and his adversaries. "Do not take me for a common soldier who dies with a single headwound! I am a God among insects, and I shall expect blood recompense from you scum!"

Darkness unfurled around the Dark Armor like a tapestry, dispersing into tendrils that lashed out at the cliff face, leaving smoldering craters in their wake. Blitz locked eyes with his enemy, giving him a cold glare. There was nothing the boy could do to prevent Kyros' attacks, not until he was free from the hookblade's snare.

Amy looked up at the foe, then back at her husband, then swore violently. She stood and cast away physicality in a smooth motion. Clasping her ethereal hands together at her chin, she summoned up as much of the surrounding kinetic energy as her physical body could withstand, then hurled it at the Dark Armor with as much force as she could muster. The icy energy split through the tendrils of darkness like lightning splits the sky, then struck Kyros with a mighty force, smearing across his metallic carapace just as before. But he shrugged off the blistering sheet of ice, barely even phased.

"Damn!" Amy swore again. Returning to her physical body, she knelt at Blitz side again. "I have to get the sword out, Blitz, now." She grasped the hilt, prepared to rip it free. Blitz tensed himself, surprised by her suddenness. But just then, something black and shadowy wrapped itself around her throat, latched onto her arms and legs, yanking her into the air like a puppet. Blitz reached out to her, trying to grasp her hand. "Amy, no!"

But it was too late. She dangled in the nighttime sky, hanging among black, smoldering tendrils of darkness energy, shouting in pain as they scarred her flesh. The girl struggled to free herself from the snare, lashing at the nearest tendril with a burst of icy energy, but it smacked away the blast as one swats a fly.

"You have struck me for the last time, wench!" Kyros bellowed in fury, more shadowy tendrils writhing from the dark aura around him. "This is my vengeance! You shall not deter it!" The black tendrils lashed at her face, smacking against her flesh in turn, each impact leaving a charred mark on her skin. She cried out to Blitz, reaching a hand for him, but another tendril clamped around her wrist and gave a swift, jerking motion.

A shrill scream echoed in Blitz ears, accompanied by a faint popping sound. The swordsman was terrified; his wife was being violently beaten, and he could do nothing but lie prostrate on his back. "Stop this, Kyros!" he cried out, but a menacing laugh was his only answer.

The wispy tendrils harped on her like hawks defending a nest, ruthless and unyielding. A tendril reached for her face, and Amy bit down hard. But another tendril encircled her remaining arm and bent it at a disturbing angle. Her cry of pain was muffled by the tendril between her teeth, but the tears that formed in her eyes were plainly visible. Both of her arms broken, Amy could do nothing but cede defeat. She fell limp submissively, her eyes dead and her spirit broken.

"She is quite the catch, is she not?" Kyros said to the wounded swordsman. "You stumbled upon a goldmine with this girl. How unfortunate for you that she must die." The grin on the Dark Armor's face was one of pure pleasure. Anger boiled in Blitz blood, causing the pain to slowly recede. But it was not enough; the pain in his abdomen was still too much to withstand. And so he lay there, completely useless and defenseless, unable to prevent the calamity that was to befall his beloved.

"Ah, but I grow tired of this game," Kyros mumbled to himself. "This must mean that my revenge is satisfied. In that case, there is no longer any reason for you to live!" Every one of the tendrils suddenly retracted, and Amy fell to the ground, powerless and almost lifeless.

Suddenly, Blitz panicked. She was going to die; she was actually going to die. Knowledge that it was now inevitable encompassed his mind, and all thought was drowned out. 'No,' his mind shouted to him. 'No!' Desperation seized him, and he could not help but obey it. With a swift motion, his hands grasped the hilt of the Wraith’s Claw, and yanked it completely free. A gasp escaped him as blood from the wound began to flow freely. His hand moved instinctively to cover the wound, and for a moment he thought his fingertips felt entrails. Heedless of the awful sensation, he rolled over and crawled toward the limp body of his wife using only his arms.

An indescribable expression crossed Kyros face as he stood over the girl's body, a motley of shock and pleasant surprise. "Why, it looks as though you have freed yourself from the sword. How unexpected." Slowly, the Dark Armor raised one hand and snapped his fingers. The sound reverberated through the quiet air, booming off of the cliff face and dead trees.

Blitz felt something around his throat suddenly. It was dry and wispy, but was accompanied by a terrible burning sensation. He thought he could hear his skin sizzling under the touch of the shadowy tendril. In a hoarse voice, he cried out, but only the Dark Armor could hear him.

"Ha, ha, ha, hah!" laughed Kyros. "Do not worry, boy. You shall suffer the same fate as your wife soon enough." While Blitz was being strangled, Kyros reached down to his feet and grasped the limp girl by her neck again. Her eyes were tiny slits, the blue irises nearly invisible. "You no longer serve any purpose to me, child. Once you no longer struggle against my immeasurable strength, there is no more enjoyment. I am through with you." Still grinning like an idiot, Kyros lifted the girl into the air, turned to face the very edge of the cliff. The Propontis glittered in moonlight prettily, ignoring the bloodshed taking place high above. Turning her to face him, the Dark Armor gave Amy a cold, heartless glare. "Perish beneath the waves."

Blitz saw the hand move away, and terror filled him. Amy disappeared behind the cliff face. For a brief moment, he was petrified by fear, fear of losing her once and for all. But he shoved it away, grasping the tentacle and ripping it in twine. Somehow, the boy made it to his feet, and stumbled quickly to the cliff's edge.

Kyros was standing beside him. "Fool. You will perish along with her."

An overwhelming pain burst to life in the back of his head, and he felt himself falling. Vision distorted by blood and tears, he could barely make out the waters of the Propontis growing closer and closer. His body hit the river's surface, and he felt a powerful tremor and sting echo through his chest, head, and limbs. Then he saw her below him, sinking slowly into the salty depths. Water entered his lungs, and blinding pain was surging through him as the salty waters beat against his untended wound. Despite that, he was driven by her, a desire to rescue her. Desperately, he extended a weak and trembling hand to the sinking body. Even from a distance, he saw her lips move, form a single word.

There was a bright light, and then all was darkness.

***

The sound of waves lapping the shore; a loathsome light beyond the darkness woke him from oblivion, which folded away in layers. Pain swept through his body, a sharp sting and unbearable burning that extended to the very depths of his soul. He could not open his eyes. As rest fled, memories flooded in. Perhaps they were only a dream he had dreamt in sleep? In his mind, she screamed in agony, her eyes filled with deadness, and he suddenly knew that all was lost. There was nothing left. She…. His mind could not comprehend it; it was impossible. She’s…. But he had seen it with his own eyes.

“Oh, God,” Blitz choked through a flood of tears. “No…no, no….” But it was true. The only person he had ever cared for was forever gone. He would never hear her angelic voice, never lay eyes upon her sweet face, or gently caress her cheek to find her beautiful eyes gazing up at him so lovingly. Everything good in life was now gone; life itself had died along with her.

Blitz could not recall standing, nor stumbling to the mansion at the center of the hills. For only a moment, his eyes rose up to take in the sight of what was once his home. It was all interlocking stones, bay windows; every luxury in the world, and no one to share it with. All of this was meaningless. The door swung open at his touch, and his body flamed while his legs obeyed commands to walk. But the strain did not matter. No physical pain of any magnitude could compare with this.

I abandoned her! he screamed at himself with hate. I gave in to that damned blade, and let her die… He had forsaken her in selfishness, consumed with his own physical hurt, and had not saved her. His hands rose up into the range of his eyes as he continued forward, knowing not where he was going. These hands were contemptible, hateful things, so stained with blood. I…it was my fault…. I killed her….

Now there was tile beneath his hands, which, overcome with weariness and self-hate, fell to his sides. Plaster tiles of white and faded gray, which she herself had chosen. He had wanted the thick, ivory cutouts, but she was more important, and so he had ceded. She is too important…. How could I let her…? The cupboards beneath the counter were of stained oak; they had agreed that it was suiting for their home. She loved me…I-I loved her… The countertop, upon which the knife block sat, was a wooden spread, painted creamy white. Knife block…. The words stuck in his mind, clear as if they had been spoken. His hand reached unbidden for the grip of one of the serrated blades. These were for the sole purpose slicing through animal flesh. …Of what more worth am I than livestock?

Blitz could see his face in the gleaming edge. Pale, drawn skin stretched below lifeless, bloodshot eyes. His cheeks were stained with tears, and blood ran in dried streams from his matted hairline. His torso was undoubtedly in far worse condition. …Worthless…. I am worthless as all of this….

The blade rose slowly, his neck its obvious target. I…killed her…. I don’t deserve to live…. His body was drained and weak, even lifting the small knife seemed to require so much strength. But his mind and body were now separate. In fact, his soul had departed entirely. He could see himself there, feeling nothing but agony for her and hatred for himself. Inches from his flesh, now, the blade glistened.

A noise jerked him back into reality for the briefest moment, and strength fled his legs. Gripping the countertop to keep from collapsing, he heard the knife skitter away on the floor. Phone, said the deepest portions of his subconscious in acknowledgement, but pain was all that he could feel. The motion trained and instinctive, he reached for the com and pressed a key on the lower-right. The agony pulsing through Blitz’ body strangled his throat, choking down words.

“Hello? …Blitz? Amy?”

Drake. I…she…. The words could not escape the confines of his mind, for body and soul were cut off. She’s gone…. And Drake could not be here. As he realized just how alone he was, the last vestiges of strength vanished like smoke in the wind, and he slumped to the tiled floor.

“Blitz? …Oh, Hell…. Blitz, stay right where you are. Do you hear me? Blitz, listen to me! Don’t move! I’ll be there as fast as I can!”

But the ever so urgent words could not reach him. Oblivion beckoned so sweetly, calling him into its embrace of relief. Unable to resist, he released hold on his eyelids, and floated into nothingness. Maybe in the beyond she would wait for him….

That was a beautiful tragedy. I truly feel for Blitz.

The story makes my eyes swell up with tears. That is a tragedy that was well written.

Thank you deeply. I was really going for that tear-jerker feel. Knowing that I am actually capable of that impact marks a serious turn in my writing ability. It means a lot to me, especially from you guys.

A friend of mine is working on a character who is also from the game that Blitz hails from. In case you didn't know, Blitz is from a CRPG that myself and that particular friend are working on. His username is Clarinetist (though you won't find him on the forums), and he's quite a good writer. His character will be named Drake, who is briefly mentioned in Blitz' bio. It'll be quite fun to bond with our characters in this way. If we're going to create a game that's reminiscient of the "FF Magic", then we'll need to understand our two main characters. Blitz was created from myself; he's everything I wish I was, and then some. Drake, however, is my best friend's embodiment, and represents the same thing for him as Blitz does for me.

But I've begun to ramble. The point is that you should watch out for the character "Drake", 'cause he'll whoop all yer arses!

I... it was a well written story. I must say that there are few words to tell exactly what level of advancement that story is on. Sad and well written. God has given you one hell of a gift, so use it well. The middle/end was the best in my opinion. It had that type of power to make you hate the enemy and feel sorry for the good guys. Excelent.

9.9999999999... on a scale from one to ten. (Not even I have seen a story anywhere that warrents a ten, but you were damn close.)

Words cannot express the elation I'm feeling right now. Once again, I deeply appreciate your review. I actually wrote this about a year ago, closer to the beginning of last school year. I remember because I was bored last January, and decided to give MS Word a whirl. No one seemed to notice that I was abusing the school computer priveleges, so I didn't see any reason not to finish it once I had started. Yes, I know. I'm a sadistic little bastard.

I think I cried the first time I read this. Lol. Great story...

Boy... you really are sucking up to me aren't you? It won't get you that thirteen dollars I owe you, though.
This is my last post till I get back, so see you then.

you talk about copyrights in the beginning... I beleive the Title of your story was already copyrighted by the movie with the same title. This is quite a feat, very nice to read.

That was a realy well written story. I almost cried and I never cry at this sort of stuff.

The last paragraph was the best part.

Originally Posted by dr_osprey

you talk about copyrights in the beginning... I beleive the Title of your story was already copyrighted by the movie with the same title. This is quite a feat, very nice to read.

What? ...I don't recall there ever being a movie under that title... Hm. ...In any case, my copyright is still completely valid. It's not the title that's copyrighted--it's the content. As some of you may know, this is an excerpt from a game my friend and I are currently in the process of creating. We've hit one Hell of a rut, though. It could take years... will take years to get to a point where we can continue.

Originally Posted by Quark

That was a realy well written story. I almost cried and I never cry at this sort of stuff.

Awesome! That's really encouraging; it's exactly the reaction I was going for. You have no idea how in-character I had to be to do this! :confused: I almost cried too, actually. But that's because Blitz is, in all actuality, myself. Albeit, he's an improved version of myself. Basically, he's me and everything I wish I was. That's why I'm able to articulate his emotions so well--they're exactly what I would be feeling if I were in such a situation. Of course, I'm not positive I'd react this way to this situation... It's hard to tell, because I think of myself as a bit of a coward. I wish I could say I'd do the right thing, but I just don't really know...

Originally Posted by clarinetist

I think I cried the first time I read this. Lol. Great story...

Boy... you really are sucking up to me aren't you? It won't get you that thirteen dollars I owe you, though.
This is my last post till I get back, so see you then.

Er... Sucking up? Heh, don't get your hopes up, buddy. I was just letting everyone know that the venerable writer who's first work I saw impressed me to no end. But that was a long time ago. And when you get back, you have no choice but to come to my house. You still owe me that thirteen bucks, and I'm starting to feel lonely. Also, I have a couple of game rentals in mind... Despite the fact that this is my thread, I get the feeling that this post should be a PM.

To those of you who are confused, this is the friend I was referring to when I said we were making a game.

I really hate that I am the only one who wasn't completely saddened by the story. I just didn't feel for the characters. Truthfully, I've read better. Yeah, it was sad and all, but I just couldn't connect with the characters. I was actually sort of bored while I read this. I think there needed to be more character development in this for me to cry about it. I mean, it was cute and sweet at the beginning but ... that was very short lived. Perhaps if this would have been a longer thread and you could have gotten into their past more. What I mean is I didn't get to see much of how they met, how they fell in love, how they lived their life happily together. The sweet beginning was too short for me to connect with the characters and get to know them. I need to feel I know these people before I can ... feel completely sorry for them. It felt more like this was happening to complete strangers for me and usually in writing one tries to make the reader feel as they know the characters personally. I just couldn't get into it. It's a sad story, it really is but ... I felt there wasn't enough on character development.
However, it was written very well. The details were amazing and well articulated. I hope you aren't too angry with this reply but this is truly my opinion on it.

Noted. But hey, at least you read it. ...Bored? Really? Well, that's certainly disappointing. But I can perfectly understand your reasons for not identifying with the characters. Even I find it difficult to sympathize with someone I hardly know. Alas, you will probably not get a chance to see how they lived... I'm a great writer when it comes to hardcore emotion, but love is something I haven't experienced yet. I've definitely suffered. Even if I haven't died, I've suffered a lot in my lifetime. And you know what they say: "To become a great artist, one must have suffered greatly." Also, I inherited the habit of looking on the negative side of things from my mother; so that didn't help.

And that, my friends, is why aliasing on the internet is so fun. I'm a completely different person between ZeldaUniverse and reality. By the way... to all those who have read this, I advise you to check back next week. By then, I will have added a bit to this fic. The additions will not be in a new post; they will be in the first post. Above, over there. ^^^ I felt that the story was a little unfinished... so I decided to add what happened the following morning. The morbidity of what happened above will pale in comparison to this.

Would you believe... I meant "next month"? :embrsd:

That was probably the best piece of literature i have ever read, you should definately be a writer or maybe a storyboard writer for a movie. Great job.

Movies? Nah, I'm terrible with scripting. I need to have control over the image itself, that's what gives my stories their little spark. You really think I should be a writer? I hope to become a professional someday, but my little problem with procrastination may interfere. I hope I can curb it.

Either way, your revew is much appreciated. Everyone who's read it so far (other than Shrub and Clarinetist) thought it was flawless... Maybe I should get Lakayal to read it. She gives some great constructive criticism when it comes to writing.

Hey... I'm new to the forum (as you will see by my post number) and was recommended by linkmastersword to read this. Usually, i am way too ADD to read something this long on the internet, but I'm glad that i did. Maybe you should consider writing a novel, because that was definitely worthy of one. :cool:

^_^ Wow, such praise! My deepest gratitude, I truly appreciate your review.

Hmm... A novel, you say? It's interesting that you should say that, because this will (hopefully) be included in a novel that I plan on writing. The novel is based on a video game that my friend and I are in the long and grueling process of creating. It's hit a rut at the moment, but that's not the point. The point is that this might actually turn out to be part of a novel based on that very game. It depends on whether or not I can stop procrastinating and actually get started.

In addition, I have also arranged ideas for a fantasy/modern novel that won't involve swords and magic (or variants of magic, as I have implemented into this). I can't ruin the premise by giving it away publically on a forum, but keep your eye out for something under the name of Matthew R. McCarroll.

Originally Posted by Wielder of the Sword

^_^ Wow, such praise! My deepest gratitude, I truly appreciate your review.

Hmm... A novel, you say? It's interesting that you should say that, because this will (hopefully) be included in a novel that I plan on writing. The novel is based on a video game that my friend and I are in the long and grueling process of creating. It's hit a rut at the moment, but that's not the point. The point is that this might actually turn out to be part of a novel based on that very game. It depends on whether or not I can stop procrastinating and actually get started.

In addition, I have also arranged ideas for a fantasy/modern novel that won't involve swords and magic (or variants of magic, as I have implemented into this). I can't ruin the premise by giving it away publically on a forum, but keep your eye out for something under the name of Matthew R. McCarroll.

I was just wondering, arent character fics supposed to be about ba characters, are the people in this story in the ba or something?

Yep. They were not created for the BA though. I just decided to enter them when I found out about the BA.

*sobbs* I just barely read halfway through and i'm getting teary. You are one heck of a writer man. Seriously, what all those people said about you being a writer, you go for it man. Anyway, I would kill(not literally) to have your writing talents, you should become a film maker or at least make SOMETHING that your talents can be used. DO NOT LET THESE SKILLS GO TO WASTE!!! If you do, so help me God I would not travel half-way around the world to find you, this is not a threat btw. if I were you, I would make myself another charcter-fic, or at least a fan-fic in the writing section! man you are a good writer! *continues reading the story from where he left off*