Prologue: To Defy Fate

Light and dark, black and white

Locked in an eternal fight

Lyleave stood above the body of the Blackness. It was almost impossible to believe that the disgusting bubbling pile of ooze below her was the ancient prophesied evil that had blotted out the sun and corrupted all of the world. So much destruction. So many deaths. But the prophecy said that one with a heroic heart would stand against it, and bring it to its demise. And now Lyleave was here to end this tragic tale.

Lyleave unsheathed Dark’s Conclusion, the blade that had brought her thus far. She didn’t pretend to understand the blade’s powers, but she admired its design. Gemstones of many different colors adorned the hilt, and even parts of the steel. This should not have been practical for a sword at all, and yet, Lyleave had never wielded a more reliable blade. It had gotten her out of a few inescapable scenarios in her life, and she always felt a nice warmth when she wielded it.

With a heavy sigh, Lyleave thrusted the sword that had never failed her into what remained of the Blackness.

Squrish

And yet nothing happened. Lyleave thought the Blackness looked uncomfortable, somehow, but it persisted. She pulled Dark’s Conclusion out, with another sickening noise.

Lyleave’s companion, Arcstell, stood beside her. Lyleave had met them in Lightkeep looking for a mage to accompany her on her journey. Lightkeep was the greatest city of the Fayn, a mystical people who were seldom seen in Lyleave’s homeland, and considered the greatest users of magic in the world. She had expected to have to work very hard to find a willing mage. However, by the time she made it there, their Sages had already selected a candidate. 

“It didn’t work, Arcstell. Do you have any ideas?”

Arcstell’s breath began to quicken. “Well, I…”

“Get on with it. The Blackness could start regenerating any moment now.” No emotion was present in Lyleave’s voice, except perhaps a tint of annoyance.

“I—I lied about the prophecy! There are another four lines! If—If you want to end the Blackness forever… You need to kill me.”

Before a single word could leave Lyleave’s mouth, Arcstell kept going.

“I’m sorry I never told you! I just knew you’d try not to let it happen because you’re just so—so heroic, and you wouldn’t ever let me die. But it needs to happen! I don’t know how to get through to you, but if you don’t kill me, I’ll still die. Me, you, and everyone else! You need to—”

“Arcstell.” Lyleave interrupted, and Arcstell stopped talking.

“Arcstell, I saw the prophecy too. I snuck into the Sages’ inner chambers, and I saw the last four lines.”

“Wha—What? Then… why didn’t you say anything?”

Lyleave began shouting “Why didn’t you? We could have figured something out! Found another way!”

Arcstell’s voice remained solemn “No. We couldn’t. The line in the prophecy ‘Until the Companion's blood is spilled,’ that’s meant literally. The Sages chose me for your journey because my body contains more magic than any other. The only way to destroy the Blackness for good is to use all of my blood in a powerful spell.”

So many emotions flew through Lyleave’s head. Anger at the Sages for being willing to sacrifice Arcstell like this. Heartbreak that Arcstell was willing to sacrifice themself for the world like this.

And resolve that she could save them.

“Arcstell, I’m not going to kill you.”

“But you—”

“I’m not going to kill you, understood? I know you can at least seal the Blackness away temporarily, right? Without dying, I mean. You can live your life, and then…” Lyleave shed a tear. “If we haven’t found a way to destroy the Blackness by the time you’re on your deathbed, then we can use the spell. After you’ve lived the life you deserve.”

Arcstell was crying too. “Lyleave, I so badly want to live with you. But it won’t work like that. My magic will dilute over time. In a few years, my blood won’t be potent enough for the spell anymore. And when I do die, any sealing spells I’ve cast will be dispelled, and then the Blackness will return.”

Lyleave hesitated. But she wouldn’t lose hope. She couldn’t lose hope. “The Fayn have their own archmages, don’t they? We could have another mage help you, and have it so that there’s always at least two mages actively sealing the Blackness. No one would have to die, and the world would be safe from the Blackness. We can get a happy ending here.”

Arcstell wiped away their tears. “Th-That could work, maybe. But it would be defying the prophecy—”

“This post has been reported for attempting to skirt the rules the prophecy. All I care about is that you’re safe. Everything is going to be okay, and we’re not going to let some magic words get in the way of that.”

Arcstell wasn’t crying anymore. “I… wow. I am so sorry I didn’t tell you about this. I should have known you’d find a way to make everything work. I’m going to seal the Blackness now. I’ll be okay, I promise. Leave this place—I’ll be fine, Lyleave, don’t worry—and tell everyone we won. Once I’m finished, I’ll be right behind you.”

Lyleave exhaled. She… She had actually found a way to save everyone. She had found a way around the prophecy—defied fate itself. 

Lyleave was halfway back when she heard footsteps.

“Arcstell is that you?” She turned to face them. But when she did, there was nothing there.

Confused, she turned back ahead and was face to face with what almost looked like a person made of darkness, with an expression that Lyleave couldn’t tell if it was one of pain, or anger.

“This post has been reported for attempting to skirt the rules!” Lyleave drew her sword, ready to face this thing, only to get a better look at the thing. It was more disturbing the more she looked at it. There were eyes and a mouth, but they were empty holes. There was hair, but rather than thousands of individual hairs, it looked like a single mass of darkness.

But worst of all was the way it held itself. This darkness may have been in the shape of a person, but it wasn’t solid. It was composed of an almost-liquid ooze that bubbled and constantly dripped off of its body. It looked like the thing was melting. And… Why did it seem so familiar? It had a similar composition as the Blackness, but there was something else.

“L-listen!” Lyleave tried to stay composed. “This is Dark’s Conclusion, legendary sword. Stand down now, or I’ll use it!” 

That thing turned its head towards the blade. Then it lunged at it with an intense ferocity.

Lyleave was taken off guard, but quickly thrusted Dark’s Conclusion into the thing’s chest.

“DAAAAARSCOON!”

It was the first thing that the thing had said, and it didn’t sound anything like Lyleave had ever heard before. But despite what she initially hoped, it clearly wasn’t a scream of pain.

The thing looked down at the blade, and suddenly grabbed it with both of its arms, and began to pull it further into its chest. Lyleave, taken aback, pulled as hard as she could on the sword, trying her best to get it back. And it was working, the sword was moving back out of the thing’s chest.

Until the thing suddenly grew four additional melting appendages out of its back, which affixed themselves to the sword, and began pulling. Lyleave was forced to let go of the sword from the sheer force of this thing’s pull. Once she did, the thing seemingly absorbed the blade into its body. It began moving toward Lyleave

“Stop! Please! What do you want? What are—”

She stopped. She understood why the shape of this thing was familiar. What it was underneath all of that darkness.

“Arcstell? Is that you?”

The thing stopped its slow advance toward Lyleave.

“LYEEELEEEEVE.”

She was right! This was Arcstell! But what had happened to them? Why were they acting like this?

“Arcstell, are you okay? Did the Blackness corrupt you or something? Please, just tell me!”

“HEEEART.”

“What—what do you mean ‘heart?’ What’s happening to you?”

“NEEEED HEEEERO’S HEEEEART!”

Arcstell began to lunge at Lyleave like they had done to the sword before.

“Wait! Stop! What are you—”

The last thing Lyleave saw was Arcstell jumping at her, arms toward her chest.

The last thing she felt was the arms piercing her skin, breaking her ribcage, and an intense burning sensation in her chest.

Then everything stopped.