Loganel stared at the familiar face with tears in his eyes. A feeling of grave sorrow plagued his mind as he felt tears rolling down his cheeks. He didn't understand why the man before him was able to smile so peacefully, and he doesn't understand why he did not blame him for anything that had happened.

"Why?" he sobbed. "How can you forgive me for what I've done?"

The man's smile, so warm and forgiving, it made Loganel feel a greater level of disdain for himself. "Because none of it is your fault." The man's simple words echoed in Loganel's brain.

"How?" Loganel shook his head, unable to accept this for an answer. "I...I took everything from you. When I first saw you it confirmed my suspicions. I...I don't belong here do I?"

"You didn't. You are Loganel." The man placed a gentle hand on Loganel's shoulder. "You gave me things that I could never imagine." The man then stepped past Loganel so that his back faced Loganel. "When I woke up that one day on my eighth birthday," the man continued, "I was genuinely shocked when I realized that I was no longer in my physical body and that I was only a spirit that roamed the world three thousand years ago. It would seem that when you took control of my body, my spirit was transported back into time."

"..." Loganel silently listened to what the original Loganel had to say.

"I was devastated you know?" he said. "I cried, wept, shouted out loud, but no one was able to hear me. That is...until I met him, the one that you all now call the Demon King." The man turned to face Loganel, on his face was a look of nostalgia and joy as he recalled his past. "'You're all alone?' he asked me that. I was just so glad that someone finally acknowledged my existence that I just broke down crying in front of him. He didn't shout or anything when I did so. Instead, he watched on with a gentle gaze and allowed me to let everything out. He...was very gentle and kind. He took me in to his castle, and he even had one of his subordinates create a physical body for me."

"The Demon King?" Loganel repeated in disbelief. "I thought he was a vicious man that killed for fun?"

The young man shook his head. "That isn't true. Not in the slightest. Maybe those that came before him, but he was the kindest person I've met. He was a great man, a caring father. If you would've saw how he tried to please his daughter, you would've known that he was no threat. That is only if you do not provoke him or threaten the safety of his family."

The young man looked over at Loganel, judging his facial expression to guess his reaction.

"So what happened?" Loganel asked.

"He tried to peacefully coexist with humanity," the man said with a sad look on his face. "But...it would appear that humanity wasn't ready yet. Many demons were slayed just for approaching human villages, those demons only intended to establish a peaceful relationship with those villagers, and before they were able to say anything, they were struck down. These incidents happened almost everywhere. No one was willing to communicate with the demons, and numerous families were broken due to this...In the end, the call for revenge was too strong for the Demon King to ignore, so reluctantly, he ordered for the army to march on."

"..." Loganel remained silent.

"Prior to all this, the Demon King sent me off from his castle, telling me that because I'm human, my life might be threatened by those demons who were thirsty for revenge. Therefore, he sneaked me out of his castle and to one of the many human cities. You know what's the funny thing in all this?" The man paused and looked at Loganel with tears in his eyes. "He gave me a sword and said 'Slay me and the demons if I'm unable to halt the advance.' Just like that, he gave me the task of stopping their march."

"Did you do it?"

"I didn't have a choice...I had to in order to prevent hatred from aggravating." The man sighed and took a deep breath. "I was hailed a hero by the humans, but I felt empty inside. I felt as if I've done something wrong. I slayed the very demons that raised me..."

"That must've been difficult," Loganel clenched his fists. "I'm sorry..."

"..." The man studied Loganel with a smile that masked all emotions underneath. "After the war, I decided that I had enough of this all. She...she sought for revenge against humanity. She didn't blame me for slaying her father, rather, she blamed all humans. I...I had to seal her away in a place that I know no one will disturb...Then, I moved here with my loyal friend, succumbing myself to the abyss just so I could live long enough to set things right."

"Set things right?"

"Loganel," the young man looked at him with a stern gaze. "Please end this war. The hatred and violence has gone on for way too long...It's time to end it."

"End it? How?"

"It's up to you. I've granted you my powers, except that it's been corrupted by the abyss, but it should still suffice." The man took a step towards Loganel. "Auge Crimson, a lonely red amongst the darkness; Auge Azurae, a cool and collected eye; Auge Beige, kindness and warmth. Krieg, a warfare to protect or to destroy." The man then raised his right hand to chest level, holding up the mysterious dark blade that wasn't there a second before. "And this blade that belonged to him: Zwielgr. It means twilight..."

Loganel took the sword into hand, studying its beautiful craftsmanship. The blade itself was composed of a nightshade metal, but running along the length of it in the center was a blood red line that converged to form a blood moon in the hilt.

"Due to my dwindling powers, the seal I've placed on her should've been broken a while ago," the man continued. "When I'm gone, the final seal should be broken and her memories should return to her."

"Who's this that you're talking about?" Loganel asked.

"The Demon King's daughter," the young man said with a loving smile. "Someone that...is important to me." The man frowned and the smile on his face vanished, but after a short while, the frown was replaced with a smile of acceptance. "When I'm gone...take care of her for me."

"Do you have to go?" Loganel asked in desperation.

Why did I even ask that? Loganel thought as he eyed the man with great sorrow. I should know the answer already. Can't I see that his body has been growing paler and paler, and he's slowly fading away? Why, then, did I ask that? Is it because I personally don't want him to leave? Why? The answer is obvious. I don't want to live on with guilt. I don't want to live on knowing that I robbed him of a normal life, this life that I'm living... In the end...I'm still so selfish. I despise myself for that. I despise myself for expecting him, someone who had endured three thousand years of suffering to stay behind. I despise myself for attempting to take away his final rest.

The man shook his head in response. However, he did not appear sad or frightened by his impending death. Rather, a pleasant smile hung on his face.

"A corpse, a ghost, should be left well alone," he said in a calming voice, almost as if trying to alleviate Loganel's guilt. "It should be allowed to rest, to dissipate, and to fade away."

"But..."

"Don't worry Loganel," the man reassured him. "I've lived a long life, and I do not blame you for anything. I would've never had met her if this had never happened. I would have never been able to meet all those wonderful people at the Demon King's castle if this had never happened. I don't blame you for anything."

"..."

The man looked towards the heavens above. "Looks like our time is up," he said with a sigh as he began to fade away. "It was nice talking to you," he said, looking at Loganel with a smile. "If we were given more time, I think we would've become great friends."

"I don't know what you think," Loganel forced out in between sobs, "but I consider you a friend already."

"Really?" the man laughed. "That's great to hear." Then, the man gazed into Loganel's eyes as he prepared to say his final goodbye. "Take care. You have a long road ahead of you, so good luck, and see you on the other side."

"Goodbye," Loganel responded one last time to the man's voice, and swore an oath in his mind that he'll remember him for the rest of his life.

Then, the world around Loganel faded away, reverting to the coliseum.

Author's Note:

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