19 Chapter 19: Once you're a Horseman, you'll be a Horseman forever

Zed and Edengaz looked at each other, they both didn't want to fight and had to take the other's life. Edengaz said:

"Zed, kill me. Save my little sister and save the whole kingdom."

Zed replied:

"Then Gloria's army will continue to attack this city, you must stay here to lead the people."

Edengaz said:

"But killing you is something I'll regret for the rest of my life."

Zed replied:

"Me too."

Zed and Edengaz charged and swung their swords at each other. They blocked the swing and held back. Zed said:

"I brought them here. It was my fault that I had to die to save you."

Edengaz replied:

"Think of my little sister Zed, she loves you. You will lose her life if you die."

Zed said:

"What about losing her big brother?"

Zed and Edengaz drew their swords and slashed at each other. They continuously dodged each other's slashes. Zed swung his sword and slashed upwards causing Edengaz's sword to fly upwards. Edengaz immediately punched Zed in the face causing him to fall back and then grabbed his sword. Zed and Edengaz charged again and swung their swords at each other's heads. They immediately stopped when they were about to reach the other's neck. Zed and Edengaz looked at each other, this battle was too difficult for them. Zed said:

"I can't do it."

Edengaz replied:

"But we have to do, only one gets to live."

Zed said:

"Then you and I will die together."

Edengaz replied:

"Or I'll kill you."

Edengaz showed a sinister smile. Zed looked at that smile and said angrily:

"This battle will end it all!"

Edengaz replied:

"Come on, give me everything you've got. Only one of us can live, don't lose it!"

Zed and Edengaz decided to fight seriously. Together they said:

"The Knight!/The Warrior!"

The Knight and The Warrior were summoned. They roared at each other. Zed and Edengaz said angrily:

"Combine with me!"

The Knight fused Zed to transform him into his normal half-wolf form (One-tailed form). The Warrior fused with Edengaz to transform him into a half-tiger form (Edengaz's whole body was covered with tiger stripes, his arms and legs grew sharp claws, his back had a tail and spikes, and his mouth was full of fangs). Zed and Edengaz raised their claws and said as if they were losing control:

"Let's fight!"

Zed and Edengaz moved on all fours and rushed at each other. The two approached and scratched each other's faces. Zed roared and rammed his head into Edengaz's stomach. Edengaz growled and punched Zed in the back. Edengaz grabbed Zed's hair and punched him in the face. Zed took Edengaz's hand and wrestled him. They immediately hit each other's faces with their fists, and memories of Zed and Edengaz flashed. This was the battle of two brothers, they fought to save the other. Zed grabbed Edengaz by the leg and threw him hard against the stone pillar. Edengaz then spun in midair and kicked the stone pillar as thrust to launch at Zed. Edengaz flew over and grabbed Zed's head. Edengaz slammed Zed's head down and roared. Zed kicked Edengaz in the stomach causing him to back down. Zed lunged forward and scratched Edengaz's chest and then stabbed him in the stomach. Lamia shouted:

"Zed! Stop it."

Edengaz spat out blood, he said:

"Still too weak."

Edengaz created a sand tornado from his hand and launched it to blow Zed away. Zed held him with his claws and stood up, he said:

"Using elemental? You don't want to use it."

Edengaz's whole body was protected by the sand tornado, he replied:

"This will end faster. So release your darkness too."

Zed looked up at the sky and saw the full moon being covered by clouds, he thought to himself:

"It's fine, I won't be able to transform."

Zed oozed darkness from his back and all over his claws. Hatai was afraid, he hastily said:

"What are you doing? Back off, he's dangerous."

The frightened soldiers retreated behind Exos. Zed unleashed the darkness and Edengaz unleashed the sandstorm. Darkness and sandstorm divided the room and the two strongest were unleashing their strongest attacks. Zed launched slashes of darkness from his claws and Edengaz created a sand whirlpool around to block it. Edengaz threw sand at Zed, disorienting him. Edengaz rushed to punch and scratch Zed in the face. Zed angrily turned around and whipped his tail into Edengaz's face, he used the darkness to wash the sand from his face. Zed fired a beam of darkness from his hand at Edengaz, destroying the sand whirlpool around him. Zed rushed to scratch at Edengaz but he had turned his body into sand so he couldn't be hurt. Zed repeatedly punched Edengaz but did nothing. Edengaz released the sand and smashed a sea of ​​sand into Zed. Zed stood up and endured the massive sandstorm. Edengaz said:

"Let's fight Zed, my little sister needs you."

Zed replied:

"I will never give up."

Zed and Edengaz were now fighting like beasts. Edengaz gathered sand and released the head of a sand tiger. Edengaz launched that sand tiger's head at Zed. Zed saw it, he howled angrily. Zed created an explosion of darkness in his chest that destroyed everything, the explosion destroyed the roof of the Throne Room, and the sandstorm of Edengaz. Zed rushed forward and smashed the sand tiger's head. Then Zed summoned the Dante sword and rushed to Edengaz. Edengaz also summoned the Loyalty Sword and prepared to attack Zed. The two swung their swords at each other at the same time. In that moment Zed and Edengaz looked at each other, they were crying, they remembered their brief days together as brothers. Those days Zed and Edengaz drank together, trained together, shared valuable lessons. Now the two warriors looked at each other for one last moment. Zed swung his sword at Edengaz's sword causing it to fall. Zed swung his sword and slashed at Edengaz's body. Edengaz spat out blood, he stepped back and looked at Zed, he nodded and closed his eyes. Zed screamed in pain and stabbed Edengaz in the chest. Zenhector shouted:

"Edengaz, no!"

Lamalia cried out in pain:

"Zed! Big brother!"

The darkness and sand disappeared and Zed was holding Edengaz, they were back to normal. Edengaz lost a lot of blood and was about to die. Edengaz looked at Zed and said:

"Looks like these are our last seconds. The past eight days have been such a pleasure to meet and be your brother. *cough*"

Zed tried not to cry, he wiped the blood from Edengaz's mouth and remained silent for him to continue. Edengaz said:

"Bury me in that vineyard, I'll return to those brave warriors. *cough* Damn..."

The Warrior appeared, it was weakening and about to disappear. Edengaz said to it:

"The Warrior, thank you so much for fighting alongside me. You are the best Elemental Spirit I've ever had."

The Warrior approached Edengaz and was patted on the head by him. The Warrior told Edengaz:

"Farewell, my prince."

The Warrior slowly dissolved into sand, leaving only a small pile of sand. Edengaz grabbed The Warrior's sand and burst into tears, he said to Zed:

"I've lived in this desert for a long time, the world out there must be beautiful. Zed, take care of Lamalia and my family in my stead. *cough* Everything I haven't finished, I'll leave it to you. Zed, goodbye, brother."

Edengaz smiled a bright smile and closed his eyes, the life of a great warrior was over. Edengaz Corput is dead. Zenhector and Lamalia were so shocked at the sight of Edengaz dead, their hearts now only aching. Zed slowly laid Edengaz down, he placed the Loyalty sword on Edengaz to pay tribute to a warrior. Exos released Zenhector and Lamalia, he fainted and she ran to Zed and Edengaz. Watt said aloud:

"Hatai, handcuff the Horseman of Death."

Hatai took a neckcuff and cuffed Zed's neck. He pulled him away and said:

"Let's go monster."

Lamalia ran to hug Edengaz's body and cried loudly, she said:

"Big brother, wake up, please. Zed, do something to save him, he's your brother."

Zed's eyes were now filled with emptiness and sadness, he said nothing, his eyes only saw Edengaz. Hatai pulled Zed away like an animal. Lamalia angrily shouted:

"I hate you Zed. Once you're a Horseman of Death, you'll be a Horseman of Death forever!"

Watt laughed, he said:

"The danger is gone, now that useless king has passed out. Soldiers, kill them all."

Exos smashed the halberd down, scaring the soldiers and not daring to do anything. Watt said:

"What are you doing Horseman? They are weak, kill them all and take this kingdom for the king."

Exos stared at Watt with horror and danger. Watt was scared and said:

"Soldiers, retreat to the kingdom to execute the Horseman of Death."

Gloria's army leaves with Zed. Despite being dragged away, Zed still managed to see Lamalia crying with Edengaz's body in her arms. And that was the last time Zed and Edengaz looked at each other. On the way out of the city Zed was carried away on Hatai's horse. He saw the corpses of the Wolf warriors, their deaths were painful and sad. Five thousand warriors died here but still fought bravely to the end. At this time the clouds flew away and revealed the full moon. Zed fell from his horse and gradually absorbed more and more darkness. Hatay said:

"Hey, what are you doing? Trying to escape?"

The procession stopped, Watt in the lead turned to look at Zed, he said:

"Hey, what is he doing? Drag him away."

Exos quickly dismounted and summoned his weapon. Watt said:

"What are you doing, Horseman."

Darkness was taking over Zed, who said in a deep and terrifying voice:

"The Knight!"

Watt said aloud:

"Damn it, kill him, bring his body back to the king."

Suddenly Watt found himself falling off his horse, with his headless body. Zed broke the cuffs, sprinted past and beheaded Watt, he said:

"FUCK THE KING!"

Zed transformed into a half-wolf form with three tails, darkness oozing all over him and unceasingly released. Zed turned to look at Hatai with crazy eyes:

"FUCK YOU HATAI!"

Zed pulled his sword across the ground and frantically charged at Hatai. He was so scared and ran away. The soldiers in Zed's sight were all beheaded. When Zed was about to touch Hatai, Exos created a magic shield to protect him. Zed turned to look at Exos, he released the darkness and flew high. Zed said loudly:

"FUCK GLORIA KINGDOM! FUCK THE HORSEMAN! DARK MATRIX, FINAL LIMITED!"

Zed's matrix of darkness was released and darkened the ground of the city and half of the desert. Zed slowly created a giant dome of darkness. At this moment in Zed had never been so painful, he had lost Edengaz-his best brother, lost Lamalia- his fiancée, lost the Wolf Army-most loyal warriors, lost chance to be remembered as a knight, a warrior and not a brutal Horseman of Death. And right now Zed would destroy all Gloria soldiers even if it killed him. Then Zed would use all his remaining strength to destroy the whole Gloria kingdom. The unleashed darkness power was so terrible that anyone could feel that nightmarish power. Zed with the power of darkness became a Dark Lord, a nightmare entity and filled with hatred, anger and all the negativity in this world. The frightened soldiers tried to run away but could not because the dome was about to be completed. Fearful Hatai said:

"He's planning to kill us all. Sir Exos, do something."

Exos said slowly:

"The Sins."

The Sins was summoned, it was a brown bear with a crescent moon symbol on its chest. The Sins merged with the Space halberd and created the Moon Halberd (It was a halberd with a bear mouth guard, the blade sharp as a crescent moon). Exos stuck the halberd in the ground and created a magic moon circle on the trunk. Exos said:

"Moon magic! Move the month!"

On the circle were the seasons of the moon, and a hand pointed to the day of the full moon, Exos controlled the hands of the clock during the moonless season. The full moon slowly disappeared and Zed turned back to normal when he had no more power, he fell to the ground. Exos jumped up and caught Zed, who had already passed out. Exos landed on the ground and let him lie down. Hatai took a hammer and was about to beat Zed to death, he said:

"Hurry and kill that monster."

Exos hit Hatai on the head with a hilt, knocking him out. Exos said to the soldiers:

"No one is told the story tonight, let's just say the Horseman of Death ran away and was never seen again. Or I will kill anyone of you and kill your family by myself."

The soldiers were afraid to do anything. Exos looked at Zed, he put him on his horse and brought him back to the kingdom. When he returned to the kingdom, Exos lied to King Vansing about Zed and asked the wizard Laura to create a false memory for everyone in the kingdom as the Horseman of Death had left the kingdom. In the Sandx kingdom, the next day the city was like a battlefield with dead bodies and ruined houses. A sad funeral for Prince Edengaz was held in front of everyone's grief. They wept over a great prince who sacrificed himself to protect his kingdom. Edengaz's grave was placed in a glass pyramid in the middle of his vineyard. The warriors of the Wolf Army were buried side by side under the eternal sands like fallen heroes. And for the first time, the song "Prince of Death" was played to tell about that nightmare night. Since then Lamalia and Zenhector have always had a deep hatred for Zed, if he returned to the Sandx kingdom, he would be killed immediately. Back with Zed, the next morning someone bumped his leg. He opened his eyes and woke up to find himself lying at the door of a house in the middle of the market. The children saw Zed and laughed about him:

"A drunk man, a drunk man. How funny, forgetting his home."

The kids ran off to play, leaving Zed alone there. He was wearing ragged clothes from last night's battle. In Zed's hand was a piece of paper written by Exos:

"You are no longer hunted by anyone, stay in this house and live a new life.

_Exos Warth_"

Zed slowly stood up and entered the house. After closing the door he knelt on the floor and cried. Zed cried a lot, cried like never before, cried because it was so painful and regretted his whole life. That morning Zed sat there and cried in solitude and nothing more. In the evening Zed rearranged his things, Exos gave him something to live on. Zed took out an old armor from a bag and said:

"Damn it."

Zed took the locked room to store his weapons and old things. The Knight was also in there to be able to restrain Zed's power, it agreed to that and regretted its actions. Zed took a sign and engraved on it "The Dream Workshop", he said:

"It sounds a bit wrong but never mind. Consider it part of my dream to have a shop that has come true."

Zed hung the sign and closed the door, the lights went out and The Dream Workshop opened that day. Since then Zed had been remembered as the most drunkard in the kingdom, heavily in debt and much more. All these actions were to fill Zed's loneliness and suffering. All that suffering who would understand. Zed's dark and painful past ended here.