Ahh. . . Master. . . Why. . .
My tears started to flow once more for the nth time in this. . . space? Nothingness? Abyss? I don't know. . . All I know is that my Master is no more and that lowly speck of shit took her away from me. . .
My beloved Master. . .
What am I to do without you. . . ?
I have no idea how long has it been since you left, or if the concept of time even applies to this place. All I know is that I've lost all sense of reason and purpose without you, my Master. . .
My precious Master. . .
My strong and powerful Master. . .
Reduced to nothing by none other than her wife. . .
It probably has been a few days, a couple of months, years even since that event and yet I could still remember everything about it like it was yesterday.
As my mistress plunged the dagger inside my Master, it was like the world paused, shaking the entire Tenebris Empire. And yet, while all was still, my Master - my oh so benevolent Master - simply maintained her smile - her caring and affectionate smile which she showed to no one else but her wife - and reached for my mistress' face. Images of how my Master will break her pretty little neck or melt her face ran through my thoughts, how I wanted to punish that little vermin for her insolence. But it never came. Instead, my Master lovingly caressed her wife and kissed her forehead.
Apparently shocked at what my Master had done, she finally looked up at her and met her eyes - those tender and gentle eyes that everyone in the empire longed to be looked at - and teared up. Have you finally realized your foolishness?! How dare you hurt the woman who's endlessly loved you?!
HOW DARE YOU RAISE YOUR HAND AGAINST MY MASTER?!
But my Master's love did not even falter, even if her soul had started to crack and slowly crumble. It seemed that dying at the hands of her wife only increased her affection towards her even more.
My Master wiped her wife's welling tears with her thumb while her other hand held the remaining dagger together with my mistress' hand.
"Shh. . . Don't cry."
She consoled with the most gentle voice I've ever heard. She even consoled the creature that had hurt her. How could someone as pure as my Master be subjected to this cruelty?!
"It's alright, I don't blame you nor do I hate you. Just this once though, you don't have to come with me. Be a good girl and be happy alright? I love you. . . My Queen. . ."
Feeling her emotions despite the situation was already burdening, but hearing her conviction as she continued to declare her love for her murderer was too much to bear, even for me. I snapped.
MAAASTEEEER!!!!!!!!!
I broke free from my Master's constraints, impaling the cretin with multiple spikes coming from below, tearing her free from my Master's kiss before throwing her as far away as possible from my Master.
I jumped out of the shadow, manifesting my true form as I launched myself towards the bitch's lifeless body, mauling it, again and again, disfiguring every inch of her body, ripping it to shreds. It didn't matter if she was my mistress, I didn't care if I had vowed to protect her even for the cost of my life, she had attacked my Master, so she was as good as dead in my book.
I knew that she wouldn't die just from this. I wanted to heal her, revive her and repeat killing her over and over again, but before I could, I heard a thud from behind. My Master!
How could I be so stupid as to prioritize the vermin over my precious Master? I ran back to her as she props herself against the podium to keep herself from falling to the ground. Not wasting any more time, I supported my Master's balance as I lead her to sit on the floor, her back against the podium.
"Quite an ironic ending don't you think? Who would've thought that I'd be killed by my own wife. . ."
She mused, her stone hand gripping the remaining dagger as the other held the impaled dagger on her core. But I knew, despite her words, she felt no resentment, not even a hint of it in the deepest parts of herself.
Master! How could you?! How could you let her take you?! It would've been easy for you to avoid that! It would be nothing for you to destroy the weapons with a flick of a finger! WHY?!
With the same annoying and affectionate smile, she looked at me, filled with acceptance and content.
"She's done a great deal to complete this ritual. She even sacrificed every living soul in my empire, including my family and herself, to ensure its success. Don't you think the least I could do for my beloved wife is to grant her wish?"
WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT?!
Why. . . WHY?! Why are you looking at me like you've accepted your fate?! Why aren't you hating her?! Why aren't you mad at everything, anything?! I can't accept this! How dare they?! How dare they hurt you?! How dare they turn your love against you?! How dare they take you away from me?!
"Shh. . . Don't cry. . ."
She whispered as she held my face with her normal hand, caressing my cheek the way she wiped away the tears from her wife's eyes.
I've far longed for you to look at me the same way you look at your wife Master, why now of all times have you finally given me a portion of your love meant for her. . .?
"Do you remember? What my greatest wish was the first time we met?"
Of course, world domination. That's why all this was-
"No. . . My ultimate wish. . . Before everything else. . ."
There's nothing I don't know about you Master. Your ultimate wish is to d-
I stopped myself from speaking any further as I remembered, causing more tears to flow down from my eyes as I start to tremble. Immortality is both a gift and a curse, and my Master has witnessed enough of history that she had wished to stop being part of it. That was why she kept diving headfirst to every danger she could get her hands on.
She longed for salvation. . .
She wished to rest in peace. . .
"I've existed for a long time. . . Far too long of a time. . . I've seen everything this world has to offer. . . We've been in many great adventures. . . Gathering the members of our family. . . Establishing the empire my wife dreams of governing. . . I think it's quite a fitting ending. . . The one who began everything is also the one who ended everything. . ."
Master. . . I can't exist without you. . . I have no other purpose but to be with you and I will always follow you regardless of the path. . . But what I can't accept is you resigning to the fate your wife has laid for you. . . You don't deserve any of this Master. . . You deserve the world, the stars, the heavens, and everything beyond the Abyss. . . Master. . .
"After all this time. . . I haven't really. . . Given you a proper. . . name. . . Have I?"
Master. . . Now's hardly the time to-
"Koyu. . ."
Master. . .
"It means darkness. . . Quite fitting. . . Don't you think. . . Koyu. . . ?"
It's perfect my Master. . . I love it. . .
She stifled a cough a few times, not breaking eye contact with me as she continues to caress my cheek. I held her hand against my face like it was the most precious thing in existence, afraid that it would slip from my fingers. Despite my Master's wipes, my tears continued to pour down my eyes. If only I could take the pain instead, I would replace you in a heartbeat.
Similar to how I can sense her emotions, my Master can read mine like an open book. She knows all too well how I'm feeling, how I want to save her even if I have to sacrifice even the gods to do so.
"Don't worry. . . You. . . You shouldn't subject yourself to a similar fate. . ."
Before I could even react to her words, she had plunged the free dagger to her chest whispering 'Spirit Break'. I couldn't believe it. . .
Not a moment later, the eye that could never be opened, revealed what was inside. A purple crystal gem propped itself out of the socket and rolled on the floor, but that wasn't what caused my disbelief. It was the fact that my connection, my bond, the only thing that sets me apart from the rest of the family, my place in my Master's soul got cut off, deliberately and immediately.
My eyes widened. My Master voluntarily released me, my core, my entire being, out of her soul, of her system.
My thoughts were in a whirlwind, but before I could sort anything out, my Master turned the other way and coughed heavily, vomiting a bucket of black sticky blood before returning to her earlier position, wheezing and panting.
H-how could you do that?! How dare you?! What gave you the right?! How dare you?! How dare you! H-how dare you. . . !
At this time, I was bawling my eyes out. How could she do this to me? I did not only have to watch her be betrayed by the love of her life and die by my arms, but now I also can't 'die' together with her?! Why?! What did we ever do to deserve such treatment?!
Drowning in my own downward spiral of negativity. I had my hands balled into a fist and pounding on her shoulders until I lost my strength to do so anymore. Yet once again, I was brought back to reality by none other than my Master.
"K-Koyu. . . Lis. . . Listen to my voice. . . Okay. . .? Focus. . . Focus only to my. . . my voice. . ."
It was clear as day that she was in no condition to speak anymore and yet she continued to do so for my sake. Realizing this, I cried even harder as my Master weakly held my head and brought it down to her shoulder, hugging me.
Why are you treating me like this just now. . .?
"Shh. . . Don't. . . Do. . . n't . . . cry. . . my. . . Koyu. . ."
My Master was getting weaker by the minute and I couldn't do anything about it, not a single thing.
"H-hey. . . C. . an. . . You tell. . . Me. . . Yo. . ur. . . Li. . . Life. . . Be. . .fore. . . Me. . . Ko. . yu. . . ?"
There wasn't anything I wouldn't do for my Master. Even in her dying breath, if she wanted me to burn the heavens, I would. Like the little obedient spirit I am, I complied. I told her everything about me, even the things she still didn't know about. Whom I was, where I came from, my existence before meeting my Master, everything. If this could make my Master happy, I would gladly give everything my existence could offer to her.
While talking, I hadn't noticed but tears started to flow down my eyes once more. No matter how hard I ignore it, reject the idea for that matter, I knew. Even if I couldn't feel it, even if she didn't have a beating heart, even if she was undead, I knew that somewhere as I kept telling my story, my Master has left me. . . this world. . . her existence. . .
But I still had to fulfill her final request. I can't let her down, not any more than this. . .
I continued to share my experiences, forcing words out of my mouth as I laid myself beside my Master, not daring to look up at her. I doubt I would be able to bear the look she had before she died. I wonder what expression she had?
Was she happy?
Contented?
Satisfied?
Was she looking at me?
Was it with pity?
Pride?
Love. . . ?
I don't know. . . And I wouldn't dare find out because I knew I'd try to extinguish myself once I found the answer. . .
She told me not to subject myself to a similar fate. . I wouldn't be able to even if I wanted to. . . You're my one and only Master. . . The rest of the heavens and earth can burn. . .
After my story, I stood up, making sure I wouldn't get a glimpse of my Master's final resting figure. I wouldn't want to remember her like that and I'm sure she wouldn't want to either. She deserves more than that, way more than that.
I left the room without another word, silently crying what felt like an entire millennia's worth of tears.
I laid there, lifeless, tears staining my cheeks involuntarily as I remembered my Master's final moments.
Nothing is worth it anymore. . .
Hey Master, did you know? After your death, your wife never stood again. Well at least I never got to see her stand again I suppose. I'm already here after all. But I didn't subject myself to a similar state, I am still after all. . . unlike. . . you. . .
But! After that, thanks to you, I was able to be independent. I didn't need any other master despite your absence. I was able to fulfill your wish you know? I burned the world down just as we planned. I wasn't able to kill any from the powerhouses but I did ravage enough that it takes them a lifetime to restore the tree of life. . .
And now. . . I'm here. . .
Hey Master. . . Are you happy. . . ? Did you like what I did. . . ? I was close to becoming a demonic god you know? But I didn't accept it. It was pointless without you here. . .
. . .
Hey Master. . . Why did you name me. . .? What's the use of that name if you aren't even here to call me as such. . .
You told me to focus on your voice. . . And yet. . . That was the last time I heard from you. . .
. . .
Hey Master. . . Where are you. . . ? The demon gods said you're still alive. . . but how can that be. . . ? I saw and felt your soul crumble to nothing. Isn't that why you cut me out to make sure that you die?
But they're demonic gods. . . I wouldn't trust any of them. . . But what if. . . ? What if you're still alive. . . ? If so. . . Why didn't you come and get me, Master. . . ?
Master. . .
. . .
After what felt like millennia of crying, longing, missing, and looking for my Master, I felt a tug in my core. The tug was so soft that one could wave it as imagination. But I wasn't one to imagine, and I knew that tug all too well. A connection. Something, or someone, connected to me, not to the surface but my core. My soul.
MASTER! MY MASTER IS ALIVE! THANK THE SEVEN HELLS!
I'm coming, Master!!
. . .
Searching for such a connection was harder than it looked. I had to search through countless timelines, different worlds, manually feeling each world for the connection I felt. Thankfully, the experience wasn't in vain. As every world and timeline I visited, the stronger the connection became, albeit ever so slightly. But I wasn't one to let go of the possibility of my Master being alive.
And finally, after multitudes of worlds and realities, I found you.
It didn't matter if you no longer had your strength, your skills, or your memories. It didn't matter if you've become a saint, continued living your life as devil's incarnate, a noble, or even the lowest of scums.
In this disgusting place filled with rot, poison, and sewage, it's similar to where we first met, don't you think so Master?
Although I don't understand why you're lying on the ground, unconscious, the important thing is that; we're finally together again. And there is no way I'm going to repeat the same mistake. No. I'll protect your properly this time my Master.
My oh so lovely Master. Even as a kid, thin, and scrawny, you look so beautiful.
Ahh. . . My Master. . .
