Prelude

A chilly breath of wind swept over the landscape, the grass and the plants shivered through the gust, and a tree stood upright through it. The sun was done for the day, and the moon was ready to take its shift. Its huge curved surface peeked just over the hill, with its moonlight filtering among the branches and spilling into the ground. The wind was soft, but still acknowledged. It gently caressed the leaves, of which were floating up and down, almost as if underwater. Grass patches fell short of becoming thickets, but they were fairly tall, swimming in the waves of the air.

Two knights were sitting on opposite sides of the tree, and one was slouched, appreciating the glorious night. His unkempt hair was gliding right across his forehead, barely avoiding his eyes, which were a brilliant blue and reflecting the moon's glow. His lightweight armor was reflecting it too, but with its own metallic finish. This knight's face was gilded to an elegant yet steely structure. His helmet lay next to him, reaching under the shade of the leaves. On the other side was a most magnificent sword, elegant and precise in its design. It was almost translucent among the shining light, with an imprinted symbol on the hilt of which was round and fit perfectly into the hand. The blade was long and thin, but impressively sharp.

The man sitting opposite of the tree exemplified a contrast of the other knight. His hands exploited his thick and black matted hair, attempting to unveil its depths. His armor was more sturdy, heavy and dense, but it still attained a mesmerizing sheen to its surface. His shining steel helmet lay beside him on the grass, along with his weapon to his side. The sword that lay next to this man was much more intimidating. With a thickness of a miniature shield, but the length of an average rapier, the blade was stout and heavy, capable of much more than a mere cut. His hazel eyes, previously open, had begun to close, yet his brows creased together in concentration. Many thoughts were swimming in his mind.

"What a night, is it not?" Hykial’s voice reverberated among the bark of the tree, echoing into Feindar's head, like a bird pecking at his brain. He mockingly replied, "Of course. However, I believe that we should have our attention focused on something more appropriate." Hykial simply stared into the stars, completely oblivious of his comment. "It's almost as if the world is giving out the most beauty it can to acquaint the event that is bound to take place." Feindar emitted a hefty sigh. "Spare me your musings. I did not agree to join forces for a mere lecture. Let us focus on the task at hand." Feindar’s eyes closed, the wind scuttling about his scalp.

"Very well." Hykial maintained his obsession over the night sky, and as his eyes wandered he could smell the pheromones of travelling pollen and the fresh grass below him, mixing with the scent of the earth. Wind filled the silence in as best as it could, but it could not entirely erase it. The moon overhead crawled across the canvas of the dark sky as time toiled on. Stars blinked occasionally, small white dots peppering the world above. At its perimeter, the moon’s rim hummed with a glowing radiance, light bleeding into its core and revealing various craters and marks into its surface, details lost amidst the distance.

After a brief respite, Feindar snapped his eyes open. "It is almost time.” With the sound of metal clinking, he quickly rose to his feet, equipping his helmet and sword. “You may summon it first, I shall wait until it is done. I would rather not risk being discovered this early, else the plan falls to ashes."

Hykial followed suit, whispering a brief yet polite, "Of course." He suddenly changed from his previous appearance, as if snapping out of a trance. His dream-like expression became strong and piercing as he started walking forward out of the protecting shade of tree and into the bright moonlight. With a glare that told stories of experience and wisdom, he uttered a single word with a practiced and steady voice.

"Jedin."

His eyes began glowing, their color changing from a sky blue to a vibrant yellow. His hair adopted this yellow color as well, starting from the base of the scalp and spreading towards the top. Everything within a certain proximity of him, no longer than a few feet, began floating in a cosmic manner, and a yellow, transparent substance emanated from his body. It spread out until it formed a nearly perfect, circular column, rising high above his head. His hair, mesh armor, and the grass around him swam within this substance, drifting upwards in defiance of gravity. Hints of white particles flitted about the substance. This continued for a few moments, until the effects began to diminish. Appearing satisfied, Hykial blinked and breathed slowly, this substance clinging close to his body and the area around him succumbing to gravity once more. The grass beneath him appeared more lush and full of color, bits of dew clinging to their greenery. He nodded to Feindar, who in turn dipped his head in acknowledgement. The dark-haired knight positioned himself standing tall and firm, as if a plank of wood.

"Jedin." His voice was raw.

Immediately, Feindar dropped his head and relaxed his shoulders. He stood deathly still. His hair began to turn a dark purple, along with his eyes. This strange substance that had surrounded Hykial previously was now beginning to surround Feindar, except this was also colored dark purple. It started at his feet, slowly reaching out with prodding appendages, as if they were searching for something, before increasing and volume and enveloping his body upwards, eventually overtaking his head. As opposed to Hykial’s, this substance seemed to lack any definite form, shapes contorting, expanding, then retracting sporadically. They also remained closer to his body in comparison, yet the fluid appeared more viscous and heavy. A hazy black mist arose from this substance as well, barely noticeable. But not long after, he began to subdue this strange material as well, keeping it close to his body. When the rather drastic effects had abated, the grass below appeared to increase slightly in size and abundance. "He should arrive here shortly."

Hykial glanced back at him. “You must not forget. I say this not to belittle you, but because I know of your reckless habits. You must ensure that you are not risking a trade in battle, for we cannot afford a direct hit from it without suffering a mortal wound. These helms shall protect us from some attacks - but against a direct hit, they might as well be parchment. If eith-"

Feindar interrupted with a cold voice, a shadow forming upon his face. “You would do well to remember that I am only cooperating out of no other option; if not for the current turn of events, I would be ridding the world of your presence.”

Hykial gave a soft smile. “And the world thanks you for it.”

Feindar remained quiet and still. His lip seemed to twitch for a small second.

* * *

Abruptly, the wind stopped. The two knights glanced over their shoulders. Nothing could be seen aside from the rolling hills and the dark blue of the night. Hykial seemed to be focusing intently on something. Feindar left him up to the task, while his eyes scanned fervently ahead. They searched for a while, still unable to identify anything in particular.

"..It's here."

Everything around them was suddenly still. The once calm, soothing winds vanished. The grass lay still, almost dead. The moon was no longer peering over the hill, and instead harshly rose above them and forced the land with light. Every single object in their sight was giving way to gravity, limp and lifeless.

"There!" Feindar snapped his head in the direction of his senses. Hykial snapped just the same as Feindar, synchronizing their actions together. And when their eyes focused onto the target, time itself seemed to have slowed to a halt.

A thin, crooked creature's silhouette emerged from the dense fog of the night. It resembled a human, but horribly disfigured. Feindar’s eyes began shaking when the horrid sight appeared clearly. His pupils tightened, and his breath began shaking uncontrollably. It was covered with what seemed like caked and dried blood, blackened from exposure to the air. The skin over its body appeared to be paper thin, completely gray and cold. Its back was bent like an animal, as if it's body couldn't decide on four legs or two legs. Its claws were sharp, thin, and long; they scraped along the ground during its hunched movement. The beast was severely malnourished - the bones of its ribcage protruded from the skin. It was incredibly tall.

And then Feindar gazed upon its face. Its eyes were always open, never blinking, more wide and round than what had seemed possible. It had human teeth, but its size was out of proportion, so huge, somehow appearing fake yet horrifyingly real. It appeared to be missing a nose, but its mouth was inhumanly large, taking up a half of its face, and fixed in a permanent smile. Blood stained the enamel covering of its teeth.

Feindar rasped, staring in horror at the figure. “What a hellish creature... I reckon now that the rumors had not exaggerated themselves in the slightest.” He turned over to see Hykial, who’s face had drained of color. I see. Not only I, but the o’ called champion of the land are both struck in fear.

Hykial swallowed nervously. “Feindar. That magic… Is it even magic? In all my years serving the kingdom, I had never felt a power so... abhorrent. Not even from you.”

Feindar remained quiet for a while. The question had shifted his demeanor, and a cold stare ahead was all that he gave before responding. “The magic you wield is Light, and it thrives upon your sense of obligation towards maintaining peace and prosperity, thus I cannot expect you to understand without elaboration.”

“My magic is Dark. It feeds upon my desire for ending that foolish prosperity you so wish to protect. It is this purpose that drives both I and my magic.” It was then that he stopped breathing for a moment. Feindar closed his eyes, lowering his head until the shadows of the tree covered his face. All was quiet. “But that thing… The magic so potent I can clearly read its quality and intent from here…

“There is no purpose. It murders for the act alone.” A chill ran down Hykial’s spine, lost for words.

“Now enough of this chatter. The time draws near.” Not wasting any more time, Feindar fled behind the tree, and Hykial stood to wait for the beast. Hykial, still trying to shake off the growing dread from Feindar's analysis, ran the plan over in his head as much as he could. If this follows according to plan, we shall be able to inflict severe injury to it, and from there it will be too encumbered to keep the offensive.

The time finally came. The creature reached the top of the hill. As soon as it did, it picked up its back and stood up, leaning its head towards Hykial. Its long tongue lopped a circle around its cracked, withered lips.

"Tinestut! You have committed an unforgivable act of violence and terror across the land. As the Magic Knight of Light, I am here to bring your terror to an end." It turned its head a little, almost like it was intrigued by something he said. Hykial brandished his sword, and the scraping of metal slid out from the sheath, followed by a resounding ring. “Prepare yourself.”

The Tinestut remained still, unfazed by Hykial’s declaration, nor his threat. Yet not a single moment later did a single eye snap directly towards Feindar. Almost instantaneously, the Tinestut shot it's arm like a slingshot, almost as if it were rubber, right towards the tree. Feindar saw this at the last moment, and leaped sideways to avoid the blow. The tree was torn on its side by its blow, tipping it sideways as it fell with a thud. It's arm sucked back into place, bones cracking and muscles tearing to reshape the limb. Its tongue shot out, emulating a lizard’s, and circled its lips once more.

"Feindar!" Hykial dashed to his aid. Feindar growled in anger, "Enough of your heroics! He landed not a scratch on me." Feindar’s dark, purple eyes were shining fiercely now. His earlier fear was replaced with a newfound fury.

With a nod, Hykial glanced at his enemy, biting his lip. The creature stood still. He could only surmise that the enemy was analyzing, them. Suddenly, Hykial’s expression morphed - his jaw dropped, mouth slightly apart as a bead of sweat rolled down. He chuckled quietly.

"I am ashamed of myself. I lost sight of our objective, overwhelmed by something as inconsequential as fear. Pathetic." Hykial slugged himself across the cheek. Feindar stood still, unaffected by Hykial’s action, almost as if he was expecting it. "We should focus our efforts solely towards removing your carcass off the godforsaken earth." A deep, hollow rumbling began shaking the ground, and Hykial’s yellow eyes began shining much more vibrantly, just like when he had first summoned this power. The yellow substance once again grew to immense lengths in a single column. The ground stopped shaking, but this incredible substance remained. The Tinestut's expression never wavered, but his head cocked sideways a bit.

Hykial simply stared into his eyes. Everything quieted. He focused his gaze directly at the Tinestut. Silence rang in their ears. A few moments past, then Hykial spoke, if only a whisper, "A being like you...."

Could never win.

Instantaneously, Hykial flashed faster than sound, and the wind exploded behind him. He charged straight towards the Tinestut. The Tinestut clawed as soon as Hykial was within range, but at the last moment, Hykial dashed to the side and sliced his sword along his path. The Tinestut foresaw the path of it, and bent backwards under Hykial’s sword as it swiped the air. Hykial posted his foot and turned on it, then boosted himself back at the enemy and lunged his sword into it. The Tinestut was already bent, and was unable to avoid the blow. A loud clang was heard in the air. Its teeth had clamped on the sword. Hykial snarled,"Damn!" He pulled out his sword before it had the chance to claw at him, scraping the creature’s teeth during the process, then swung his sword once again, this time in a circle to hit it on the side. The creature stepped out of range, then Hykial seized the opportunity to begin a barrage of attacks, hoping to create an opening. But the Tinestut moved back and forth, phasing between each sword strike. It worked through Hykial’s barrage, minimizing the distance between them more and more. It bent forward under one of his strikes and connected a fist to his chin, which sent him practically flying into a nearby boulder. The Tinestut gave a satisfactory grin, even wider than his expression normally allowed, but then it felt a strange, wet sensation around its stomach.

"Never take your eyes off me." The beast turned its neck in a semi-circle breaking the bones therein through the process, and saw Feindar with a triumphant glare. His sword pierced straight through its gut.

The Tinestut grabbed the sword and pulled it out of him, giving no indication of feeling any pain. Feindar, beginning to fear its control over his weapon, pulled it back out of its gut, the Tinestut's grip giving way to his strength. But in return, it curled its hand into a tight fist and threw it with incredible strength all towards Feindar. But just before impact, Feindar whispered, "Abyssal Shield."

A blanket of purple haze surrounded Feindar. When the Tinestut's punch made impact, it rammed into this substance instead, preventing it from hitting Feindar, but even then the attack pushed him back. He dug his feet in the ground as the force of the punch sent him far, the magic dissipating after he stopped moving. The Tinestut advanced on him, preparing its claws. It then attacked Feindar with a barrage. Feindar was not as fast as Hykial; however, he had his own style. Of course, he moved as quickly as possible to avoid as many attacks as he could, but he simply could not keep up with its strikes. So he simply blocked those with his sword. He kept weaving in between the blows, occasionally blocking some with his weapon. Sparks ignited the scene. Feindar’s eyes gleamed, and not a second after he swung his sword to put some distance between them and leapt away.

"Dark Shot!" His purple magic shot out of his hand forcefully impacting the Tinestut to fly backwards, and dissipated after contact. Immediately Feindar chanted once more, "Dark Magnet!" and this time the substance from his hand shot out like a lizard's tongue and stuck into the ground to where the Tinestut would end up, then it yanked Feindar as fast, if not faster, than the speed Hykial had dashed around with. Once he was yanked with his wrist, the substance disappeared once again and Feindar lunged with all his might towards the Tinestut's chest using his broad sword. The Tinestut suddenly disappeared right before his attack. Astonished and confused, Feindar realized that he now was aiming for a huge boulder. He stabbed right into the center of it, as it crushed into a manifestation of smaller pieces. The Tinestut appeared again, several inches behind the back of Feindar’s head. Then, as it grinned a wicked and unreal smile, it jabbed with incredible force straight into Feindar. Unable to react, he winced.

Feindar was sure he was stabbed. However, he did not feel pain. He didn't even know where he was. "Feindar, what have I said about your recklessness?" Feindar looked up, and realized that Hykial had grabbed him by the mesh of his armor just in the nick of time, like grabbing a cat by the nape of its neck. Away from them, the Tinestut left his arm plunged in the rock, staring in annoyance. Feindar smacked his hand off him, getting back up on his feet. “I did not ask for your help.”

“Nor did I care for your permission. I rather you live.”

“And I rather you perish. I believe I had already told you not to misunderstand my cooperation.”

After their quick argument, Hykial noticed that the Tinestut had remained still. It was awake, yet did not advance for an attack. It kept itself passive, for only a time Hykial presumed. The behavior perplexed him, but quickly an idea spurred as a result. Hykial looked back to Feindar. He looked back as well, and with a begrudging nod, Feindar leapt back with him to a certain distance. The Tinestut did not move, but remained staring at them, watching them close as ever.

Still keeping an eye out for the Tinestut, they discussed in a low tone. "Feindar. Look at your blade." Feindar gazed upon his weapon. There was a new coat of blood upon it, a different one from the stab wound he had inflicted at the start. “I see. When I had lunged my sword into it using my Dark Magnet spell, I had thought the creature evaded the attack. This spatter of blood is not spawned of a mere scratch. My attack had actually landed.”

Hykial nodded. "And now there is a new wound around his chest - its fresh and tender. It wasn’t a fast burst of speed or teleportation of some kind. He simply vanished."

Feindar scratched his chin fervently. “How shall we fight an enemy that we cannot even see?”

“Judging by its magic, it still has more than plenty still. If we maintain the same pace of combat, this fight shall be lost. We need to aim for a counter. But our opponent is not a fool - its instincts for combat are like a bird finding food. It will expect that course of action.”

Feindar interjected. “What are you saying? Shall we just run in like lamb to the slaughter?”

“Rather like a two warriors with nothing left to lose.”

Feindar exhaled loudly, before readying his weapon and affirming his decision with a nod. It was time to continue the battle.

They both charged forward with a practiced set of motions. Hykial ran straight in front of him. He attempted a direct attack and forced his weapon to strike through the beast. The Tinestut rolled to the side to avoid it, but just before he could counter, Feindar yelled, "Dark Restraint!" and the substance blasted out from Feindar’s palm, constricting the creature within a coil of dark purple fluid. Feindar stood still, focusing all his energy on the task at hand. Then with anger, the beast turned its head to see Hykial’s sword striking through its neck.

But to Hykial’s shock, the Tinestut bit on the sword again, then after a quick yank, Hykial pulled it back out. The beast then roared, buking himself out of the bondage of magic. It burst open and faded away, forcing Feindar to collapse for breath. He then slashed at Hykial, who dodged the first swipe, but then the Tinestut disappeared and reappeared as he did with Feindar, catching Hykial off-guard. He grunted. The thick claws dug deep into his flesh and blood came pouring out like spilled milk. Hykial fell and clutched his chest, and then was kicked by the beast and crashed into the trunk of the tree, breaking his back.

“Damn!” Feindar’s eyes reignited with an iridescent glow. Suddenly, the Tinestut's feet began digging in the dirt. The beast then was lifted off from the ground and, like a rubber band, sent flying straight to Feindar. "Dark Magnet!" Another source of magic had appeared right behind the Tinestut and forcefully pulled it towards Feindar. The beast, unable to get back on the ground, came hurling towards him, and he readied his blade. His sword had stricken its side. A spray of blood spouted from the wound. "Got you, damn creature."

Blood trickled down its side, yet it remained unaffected. Instead of reacting with pain, the Tinestut's left arm wrapped around Feindar’s back to hold him tight, then grabbed his weapon, pulled it out, and threw it away. If it were not for Feindar’s moment of relief, he would have held his grip true to his weapon. And to Feindar’s shock, it stabbed his lower back with its claws, and twisted them. Feindar howled in agony all the while the Tinestut pushed, pulled, and rotated his claws inside his back. Feindar tried to reach back to pull it out, but he couldn't. All he could do was endure. He kept yelling and cursing, until the Tinestut finally yanked it out as blood erupted from the wound. Feindar collapsed on the ground and lay immobile, the muscles in his back irreparably damaged. The beast bent down and licked its prey’s wound.

Looking at the two knights who were now bloodied and lying in agony, the beast stood triumphantly over its newly cultivated meals. Its mouth began drooling, saliva dripping off the bottom lip. Hykial, body twisted and broken, shattered and contorted, remained unmoving on the ground. He just stared in pure resentment, stronger than ever. Feindar looked down in defeat. The two were immobile, their arms the only part of their body able to move. They could no longer attack. It seemed hopeless.

And yet...

"I believe this is it... We have to do it, Feindar. There is no other way."

Feindar looked right up to Hykial, while the creature watched them curiously. His bottom lip quivered in frustration, his expression exploding in anger. Then, it relaxed. A breath of air shot out of his nose calmly, then after a gust of wind flew by, he gave a weak nod. “So be it.”

Then, suddenly, they began to speak.

“Dark!” Feindar exclaimed.

“Light!” Hykial exclaimed.

Then together in unison, they shouted, "Eternal Confinement!" Their eyes shone a brilliant hue. The ground began shaking, and their magic, purple and yellow, emanated from their swords, which rose by themselves in the ethereal substance. The Tinestut witnessed the events unfold, mesmerized by the display of magic.

Their swords both began shining more and more, a brilliant light piercing the entire landscape. Ground, trees, air, armor, grass, and everything in their area shook with an incredible pressure. The swords’ magic became too much, and the light from them shot out like a beam, aiming right towards the Tinestut. For the first time, the two knights heard the beast scream, emitting a foul sound of pain as the beam blasted at him. The two beams from each sword began to pull the creature into either weapon, splitting apart its spirit and body. Lights flashed as it withdrew into the swords. Hykial yelled as loud as he could muster, "Your feasting is over. You will never be able to terrorize anyone again. I hope you fancy watching the end of time within that blade!" The incredible magic pulled it more and more until its being became intangible, transparent, separated, and sucked into the swords.

The beams stopped. The ground stopped shaking. The grass lay still. Then, the swords fell down with a clank. As soon as it started, it stopped.

Hykial and Feindar lay flat on the ground while their breaths wavered. The Tinestut was split apart into each of their swords, sealed within. A faint set of symbols were inscribed into the metal. "We did it," Hykial faintly whispered.

Feindar tried to gulp more air before responding. "Yes. The trash has been,” He breathed in again, “has been disposed of.” They stared in silence. The swords were now on the ground, each imprisoning a part of the Tinestut. Their bodies, bruised, battered, bleeding and broken, remained in the same position. Their spirits, however, were soaring higher than ever. A breeze blew through their armor and hair, washing away their worries. The night was settling back into its position.

"You know what happens now, right? The magic we used, the way it works-"

"You told me already." Feindar looked at the stars. A breath escaped him.

"Feindar… What you did… You saved the world."

"Don’t compare my actions to your se-"

“Are you going to lie during death too? There is no need for that. Be honest with me - have you truly wished to spread despair?”

Silence rang in their ears. The night was already in place again. The moon had shone through everything, welcoming the two brave nights into its gentle care. The breeze cleansed them once more. It was more serene than imaginable.

Feindar finally slowed his breath down. His expression faltered, stumbling over itself in an emerging truth. He solemnly rasped, “Yes, for that is my duty. Perhaps in another life I could have walked a similar path as your’s. Truthfully, I did not wish to travel this road. I simply… I fulfilled my role. Whether I felt it was right or not, all I knew was that I had this power, and if I ever was to exist in this world, I would need to fulfill a purpose. And my purpose was using this power the way it was meant to.”

Hykial breathed faintly in and out, satisfied with his answer. “I see. I may have despised you for the harm you have cultivated, but for what its worth… You gained my respect. I cannot and will not forgive you for all that you’ve done, but today… You have saved not only the kingdom, but the entire world. You have my gratitude.”

“I do not require... your gratitude... nor… forgiveness… nor respect... I only did...what I... felt… I...” Feindar’s eyes shut softly until his breathing slowed to a halt. There was no more signature of his being.

Hykial turned his back to the sky. His vision blurred, his lungs grew weak, and his heart stopped pumping. Barely having the strength, but managing to speak his final sentence, he whispered, "Thank you." His breath exhausted all of the oxygen left inside him.

The landscape quieted again. Along with it, the night continued its harmonious symphony. Two comets shot across the night sky.

* * *

Feindar and Hykial’s bodies were found lying together looking up to the sky. When

magicians took a look at their sword, they realized the Tinestut was split into two pieces. Immediately upon discovery, they separated the two swords, and sent travelers and magicians to the opposite sides of the world in order to encase them in a secure set of spells and barriers, so that no one could discover them, let alone break them.

Feindar and Hykial, however, were praised for being the heroes of the world. Their bodies were encased in the most delicate coffins, and they lay side by side surrounded by flowers and bouquets beyond beauty. The magicians revered them more than their own lives.

The humans who could not use magic, however, blamed the magicians and the like for the disaster, as they believed the wizards and mages were the ones who conjured the creature. A massive war broke between the two forces, the few yet powerful mages, and the weak yet numerous humans. The mages were outnumbered, and eventually, forced into hiding. The few remaining ones cast a powerful spell together that created a new dimension, one that absorbed all the magic of the world so humans could no longer sense them with any of the five senses.

After that, the normal humans simply lived on, developing new sciences and leaps in technology, eventually forgetting the magicians. They had ended up writing them off as fairy-tales, myths, and legends. As for the magic world, they developed similarly, learning more about the magic they use and making discoveries of their own.

And a single child would eventually change the face of these worlds.