Beautiful, soft bangs reminiscent of a summer rose’s petals frame her marvelous face. Those joyful, crimson colored eyes catch with my own as they stare back at me from the palm of my hand. Dressed not in a uniform, but attire suited for a restful day is a woman I love dearly.

Long ago this photo was taken as a part of a set with her family. Her parents had surprised her with an extra shot to which she was the star. While she was shy to share it, her mother and father were more than happy to have indulged in my request to have my own personal copy.

I’d kept it as a small secret from her. It and the pendant that I’d stored it in for safe keeping. I’ve long carried it with me in my pocket. It had gratefully managed to have lasted the blow I’d been dealt that night.

Admiring her beauty, I’m given the extra charge of energy I need for the challenge to come. I stand before the large, encumbering doors separating me from my ultimate target. My KNITE had displayed an amazing reading in the room beyond this mighty doorway.

For all of the trouble, for all my path as the Celestial Knight, the thought of her alone keeps me fighting. Maybe even more than my desire to butcher every one of Eclipse’s miscreant children. There at the gateway fronting malice, I pray that I’ll see her smile once more.

For that I would face against legions. For that I would fight all the Loveless in the world to have her returned to me.

“Okay, Urania. I’m going in. I’ll do my best to keep you updated, but I can’t guarantee it won’t be until a decisive moment.” I press my finger lightly against the earpiece to listen in more closely.

“Understandable. Stay vigilant and godspeed.”

I give a skyward glance up to the grand doors waiting to be breached. As with all of this absurd world, they’re etched with intricate markings telling a tale. A doorway fit for a tyrant lord. A gateway that I fathom was made specially for Pride’s own narcissistic satisfaction.

“I’m looking forward to crushing your skull into the dust. We’ll see how confident you are when you’re dead.”

The rage I have waiting within me comes bursting out as I slam my heel against the door, sending it open. My eyes tear down the red carpet, up the stairs and towards the lofty throne at their top. All of the red glow of the room is slashed by the light streaming in through the stained glass windows running the length of the room, beginning from the half circle of exquisite glass rounding behind the throne.

All of the colorful cascading light descends across the shoulders of the thing seated within. Their dark form is eclipsed into greater darkness by the shadow cast by the shining from the glass. Given bold contrast from their darkness is the form illuminated as their foot rest.

The shadow’s leg rests on top of a man’s head. The white hat they had worn lies on the marble floor at the foot of the steps where their blood meets it.

The thing presses its heel into his temple while his face remains positioned towards the tyrant who had claimed his life. A shimmering glances off of the fine wine glass so precariously held its hands as it lifts it to its mouth and takes a sip of the crimson sloshing about.

Despite that its eyes are hidden away behind the large and bejeweled witch-like hat it wears on its head, I can feel its gaze watching my every move. Its mouth stretches into a large smile of red and white teeth.

“Urania! Pride is in this room! I’m about to engage them, I-”

I pluck the earpiece from my ear and drop it to the marble where my boot comes down and crushes it. I look up from the little chips and fractured casing to give Pride my kindest smile. I am their guest, after all.

“Pride. After all of this time I was expecting that I’d be meeting something more substantial. All I see here is an abomination that thinks it’s more than the lowest trash of hell.” I step forward, drawing my blades one after another, making sure there could be nothing in our conversation lost in translation. “I’ve been enjoying every little thought I’ve had where I dethrone you.”

I face Nightfall towards it and let its glittering edge speak with me.

“I may be the Celestial Knight, but don’t think I’m above making you suffer before you die.”

Its amusement is palpable while its silent laughter shows in its bloodied smile. Delivering a light kick, it sends the body rolling towards me with before it throws the wineglass headlong to the marble of the steps where it shatters, splashing its red contents into a small running waterfall stream.

Blood.

I take a glance to its victim and know that their face is the one I’d seen during my briefing. The last final agonized, terrified expression he’d worn is frozen on his face above the gash renting his throat open.

The corpse defiled at my feet is the head priest I’d been seeking.

“I’d already had plenty of reason to tear you limb from limb but it seems you’ve found a way to piss me off even more. That’s impressive, even for something as vile as you.”

A gathering of shadows begin to amount as it rises to its feet. Tugging its sword free from its sheath, its long cape of darkness kicks up behind it. It stands as a pitch black figure defying the vivid light and elegant glittering glass.

“It’ll be my honor to roll her head off your shoulders.”

A flame blazes to life in its palm with a snapping spark. Clamping that flame-risen palm onto its cape, it flicks its fabric to conjure a triad of flames which sweep out towards me. They flash by my body as I snap to the side and out of their way before I break into a dash.

We meet. Rather than shake hands, we strike blades. Their own with the two that I hold. I stare past the brim of Pride’s large, witch-like hat. Beyond is a harrowing darkness misting above their bloody smile. An empty void.

I give my reigns over to my rage which commands me to press and push them back until their balance breaks. The telltale sign of my advantage is the most subtle faltering of their step. I’m quick to capitalize and I sweep my blades for their throat. Yet it proves too slow as they manage to dodge out of the way and deftly send a spell of wind my way. Its forceful current throws me down the stairs where I catch my foothold by a pillar.

A loud snap of energy sounds while a dancing live wire of electricity is brought to being by Pride. When its voltage is unleashed, I’m tucked away behind the pillar’s stone and it comes to no effect. A greater volley of fire causes an intense blaze to wrap about my hiding place, giving me a kiss of heat to warm up with.

The battle comes to a still while I bide my time, listening in.

“Either it’s playing the waiting game or it’s coming this way.”

I give my service sword from academy a few good twirls in my palm before securing a fast grip on it.

“3… 2… 1!”

Breaking out from my concealment, I throw the sword with the utmost precision I’d practiced countless times. It makes sparks as Pride guards itself with a swing of its blade but it’s life is already forfeit.

A glittering of stars blurs through its hand. They become shooting stars which rain across its shoulder and then fall to its leg. The beautiful shining flashes through its body and opens a sight of its starlight.

Decorations of red begin to spread through the air and design the floors below. As the spurt streaming from its opened neck splashes against my face, I feel a heat building up within. All of the anger, all of the hatred that I’ve nurtured in my heart detonates to a blistering pyre. The starry glass begins to shoot across even more of its obsidian body.

Its wrists are cleaved, the arms slashed, each thigh rent open. The final strike shoots through the darkness of its heart, filling it with the glow of stars. I relish the dull sound as my sword plunges through its body. Its hand grabs for my shoulder but all of the strength is meager. Growing weaker, weaker until it drops still with an ending shudder.

Wonderfully dead, most beautifully so, all that retains its stance is the blade thrust through its body. I give them a nice push and watch them slide free and collapse into heap fitting for garbage. The marble floors receive their pooling blood. Fanning out further, it shimmers dully in the crimson air of their seized kingdom.

A deep, longing for blood is still implanted in my chest. Their pathetic, dead form isn’t enough of a sight for me. And I wouldn’t be taking any chances that could spare its life.

I hold the clear glass now made red high, aloft. Poised to fall, its showers into its chest once, twice, thrice. Again, again until I feel an inkling of satisfaction taking root.

“Marvelous. I’d dreamed of this day for so long and it looks like another fantasy of mine has come true. I suppose in a case such as this, even you would deserve to be thanked. You made it exciting, but all things considered, you really were a lightweight unworthy of even a semblance of your name.”

Cracking open one of the vials I’d been given for the job, I gather a small collection of the freak’s blood. Looking at its darker, nearly black color, a fantastic idea springs into mind.

“Blood is good, but how much better would an entire head be? Maybe for my personal collection, maybe for the sake of Urania’s research. Any way you slice it, it’d be quite the deal.”

I regain my old service sword and place its edge against her neck with Nightfall to make for large set of scissors.

“A life for a life. You’d cut his throat so I’ll cut clean through yours.”

It takes one clean sweep to liberate it from its rotten body.

Free from its hat, I happen to finally realize just how long its hair really was. It makes for a nice means of carry.

Now having finished my business, I approach the man I had avenged. I watch over him, the grief for his death now settling down as the time to mourn arrives.

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t come sooner. If only I’d been alive when all of this began, I’d have been able to have done something. But this is for you and all of the knights lost because of this bastard. I promise your sacrifices will be honored.”

Moved, sorrowed to see his fallen self, I bow my head in respects and say a small prayer for him and his family.

But… the hand I’d been carrying Pride’s head in suddenly feels strangely light.

I shoot my eyes open and look to my hand to find Pride’s head is completely missing. Their body too is nowhere to be found as I about face it.

The presence of a shadow prickles the back of my neck as I can feel breath striking down its course.

I snap to face my foe and quickly attempt to draw my blade. I’m eclipsed by a pitch black for a fragment as my sword hand is caught still. A pain shoots through my leg as I feel my body become airborne before I feel myself soaring down the interior of the throne room. It takes snap reaction, but I successfully catch myself into a tuck and roll down against the hard marble floor. My momentum stops as I plant my heel and shoot my head up to witness my oncoming challenger.

Darkness in the vague shape of a human, a gross slithering of shadow. Their sword is en route to cut me down. I try my best to create a shield, but my time is too thinning to react. The world slows to a crawl as I watch the blade coming to grieve me.

It reaches the end of its course at my neck and I feel is its edge.

Yet that’s all I feel. The side of its metal pressing gently against my skin.

I don’t care to ask questions, only to act as I roll aside and kick up to attention.

There I find the most unreal circumstances.

Their entire body is locked still. Frozen in place as glowing light wreathes its body, holding it fast like locking chains. All I can do is stand stupefied and at a loss as the questions force their way forward to perplex me.

“Get back!” A young, feminine voice yells.

Finding no reason to argue, I take a jump backwards for distance. Starting as a gathering red aura, a spark of glittering of light catches beneath Pride. Cinders magnify into a burst and raise high, as high as the heaven stretching ceiling, growing skyward as a pillar of merciless fire.

It rages unforgiving as an inferno and the instant it ceases, the wreathing light has vanished. Pride’s dark form remains, but its still stance quickly fractures.

It falls dead on the floor for the second time.

“She’s not going to stay down for long. We need to go. Now!”

I’m taken back from my jarred mind by the sensation of a hand in my own. I look to my shoulder and see a head of hair so soft and flourishing like a summer rose. I look into eyes as that are verdant a green as the meadows. Before I can negotiate or wonder, I’m tugged along to follow after my savior.

As I follow behind them in our run, I spot a cute green bow which fastens two braided bangs together.