Short Stories: A Nightmare into The Abyss

Two people were standing around, facing each other in a vast hall that looked like a

grand temple. One of them was wearing flowing silvery robes with matching silver

hair, and had in their hand a silver sword to match. The other was dressed in all black,

had an eyepatch, and a prosthetic arm. The black-clothed figure had a revolver in their

hands.

"I congratulate you on making it this far, Madness Parade of the Crimson Fang. Or

would you prefer I call you Chaos Disaster?"

"Hmph, call me what you will. That name is naught but what others have heaped upon

me. Though I am willing to admit my capacity for destruction rivals such a moniker.

You shall meet your demise here, God of Origin. Or would you too, prefer to be called

by your more commonplace name, Chaos of Darkness?"

—Holy crap, why do these names sound so nonsensically cringy?

The black-robed man tore off his eyepatch to reveal a dazzlingly blue eye.

"Now is the time to awaken, my steel-clad demonic arm!"

At the same time as he shouted out, the silver-clad figure grew silver wings from their

back and their silver sword glowed with a distinctively silver light.

"Very well. I admire your arrogance. Few so brazenly challenge god. As a reward, I shall

engrave eternal suffering into the essence of your very soul!" That was all the silver

figure shouted back.

Oh my god, it just keeps getting worse.

As their fight began, the black-clad man screamed out an incantation.

"Oh crimson flash, heed mine call and devour thy foes— Crimson Cutter: Sacrosanct

Resonance!"

The silver-haired man replied in kind, and shouted how on spell.

"Hmph, pathetic… Return all of creation to the primordial abyss— Karmic

Absolution!"

They continued going back and forth like that for some time, their intense attacks

creating a grand battle that would probably be the only one of its kind.

I can't take it anymore… Make it stop, please.

Finally, after the silver-clad man's third transformation, and the black-robed man had

awoken to his ultimate true power, after they had unleashed not only both of their

trump cards but both of their finishing moves, the black-clad figure let out a

resounding cry of victory. He smiled triumphantly, covered from head to toe in wounds

no mere mortal could ever hope to withstand…

"Heh, that was quite the enjoyable fight. In deference to your formidable strength, I

shall grant you a gift to take with you to the afterlife. My true name, the name no one

else knows… I am the Crimson Flame White Demon's—"

Please, just kill me now. Anything, anything to make it stoooooop.

"Make it stoooooooooooooooooooop!"

"Hajime!? What's wrong, are you okay?"

Deep within the labyrinth, Hajime threw off the sheets covering him and leaped to his

feet, his breathing rough. Yue also got up in a panic and gently hugged Hajime in order

to calm him down.

"Th-That was a terrifying nightmare… Yue, can I ask you something?"

"…What?"

"If I ever start becoming one of those delusional crazies, use your Azure Blaze to bring

me back to my senses, please."

Yue realized Hajime must still have been suffering from the effects of the nightmare,

as whatever he was saying didn't make any sense. Still, she nodded in order to reassure

him.

"…Okay. Leave it to me. If you ever start becoming one of those delusional crazies, I'll

make sure to stop you."

Neither of them realized they had been misunderstood by the other, Hajime talking

about the sight from his dreams and Yue about him becoming a monster, but… Hajime

calmed down after that, which was enough to satisfy Yue, so they both went back to

sleep in each other's arms.

As long as Yue was around, Hajime was safe from falling over to that side… probably.