A New Dawn To A Fallen Dusk

The look on Dusk's face was enough to ignite such a resolve within June's heart.

Whatever it takes, he'd make sure to be the last one down this crude cycle, and end it once and for all.

Dusk seemed taken aback, and tears began to well up in the corner of his amber eyes, his bottom lip slightly quivering in the face of June's resolute demeanor.

For once in June's life, he genuinely felt determined toward something.

The Heritage of The Void would end with him. 

Dusk spoke up, now placing both his hands on June's shoulder:

"Of course, You do that June."

With that, he patted June's shoulder once more, and smiled.

He then brought the palm of his hand back and faced it flat in front of June. A second later, several white sparks appeared before them, surrounding Dusk's hand.

"Use this…"

As the ethereal sparks of light gradually dissipated into thin air, a silver dagger with a curving blade appeared on Dusk's hand, its surface gleaming under the white flame next to them.

June felt a bit hesitant to reach over and grab it, but he knew he had to.

Clenching his jaw, he grabbed the dagger by the hilt and tightened his grip on it.

"Now…"

Dusk readjusted himself, opening his arms as if he was giving someone a hug. Only, it was to make things easier for June.

"Thrust the blade straight into my heart…"

Dusk then closed his eyes and waited.

June gripped the dagger with both his hands, clenching it so tightly his knuckles turned white. 

Then, he stepped toward Dusk slowly with his bare feet softly sounding, his gray eyes trembling with anticipation.

His mind was in turmoil. 

After everything he had been told, he knew full well he had to do this.

However, he lacked the conviction. Perhaps it would've been easier if Dusk was just some random guy, but he wasn't. 

Not anymore.

'D-damn it all…'

Gritting his teeth, June brought the blade back and thrust it forward in one swift motion. 

A moment later, the sound of flesh being squelched and the blade piercing through echoed within the Great Serpent's belly.

Dusk let out a pained groan the moment the blade impaled him, recoiling from the pain.

"U-ugh…"

With a faint whimper, Dusk gradually began inching down toward the floor. 

However — June, using his shoulder — held Dusk's body before it fell.

He was a bit heavy, especially since his entire body was weighing on June, but he held on to Dusk, refusing to put him down just yet.

"May your soul find peace…"

Whispering those words into Dusk's ear, he set him down softly and watched as the light in his beautiful amber eyes faded. 

Right to the very end… Dusk smiled.

June sat there for some time… allowing a moment of silence for Dusk..

Not long after, he heard the Entity whisper a few things to him:

[Enemy Felled…]

[Congrats! You've Excelled The Trial Requirements!]

[Congrats! You've Completed The Awakening Trial!]

A second after, more flooded in:

[You've Earned A Relic: Legacy Blade!]

[You've Earned An Item: Pendant Of Sorrow!]

[You've Earned An Item: Skewering Twig!]

[Congrats! You've received a Forbidden Heritage!]

[Prepare For Awakening!]

Once over, June felt his stomach churn and the space around him falter. He looked at Dusk who began fading from existence, his body dissolving into several pieces of dark gray dust.

He felt a heavy sense of melancholy watching Dusk's body cease to exist, as if he was never present to begin with, casting a deep shadow over his quivering eyes.

'I'll be seeing you, Dusk…'

With that, June stood back up and waited. 

He could feel a deep itch inside his soul, as though something was trying to reach in and nestle itself within. 

It was likely the Heritage taking its place and binding to him. 

Turning around, he looked at the ghostly fire that was still burning, and the lantern which was placed near the shaky pier.

The bones that surrounded the outer edges soon began dissolving, just as Dusk. 

Then the hovel.

Eventually, everything faded away… leaving June standing in front of a dancing pale fire.

Dusk had said he would be transmigrated into a space between both realms… which soon happened.

But before his conscience faded away, leaving the Great Serpent's belly behind, he basked under the warmth of the fire for some time.

Mere moments ago, June and Dusk were simply enjoying a meal. 

Well, more June than Dusk.

The corners of June's mouth slightly turned upwards, and the moment he blinked, he was somewhere new.

***

The first thing he felt was the sensation of water licking his feet, reaching only to his ankle.

Looking down, he came to see his own reflection staring back at him, rippling gently on the surface of a lake.

Once he acknowledged that, the rest of the space rendered in, catching his attention as he stared in awe.

There was an abundance of beautiful stars basking against the dark canvas of the night sky.

They glided gracefully across the expanse, shaping the space altogether in an indescribable beauty. 

Together with the stars, the lake stretched endlessly into the horizon, reflecting the sky on its vivid surface.

Soft ripples danced occasionally, stirred by a gentle and inviting breeze and the movement of June's feet.

'So this is Paths…'

His gaze wandered around, taking it all in.

Everything really seemed to stretch endlessly, leaving him under a vast expanse of enchanting stars.

In the distance, they seemed to glimmer, both in the sky and on the lake's serene surface. All coiled up and stretching like a singular band.

Suddenly, a very unpleasant itch caught his attention, and he squinted in discomfort. 

It was his wrist.

Turning it over, his brows scrunched and his expression dimmed as he noticed what it was.

On his wrist, some sort of mystical symbol glowed, etching itself into his skin. 

The Runic Web.

At first, he started scratching it to ease the annoying itch he felt. Then, he tried to pull it out.

Of course, it didn't work, but he wanted to see if it did.

There was no particular feeling, or pain of any sort. Instead, it felt oddly natural, as though it had always been there — seamlessly embedded into his skin. 

The shape was that of a small shard just like Dusk had described it as, faint highlights of white resonating on its surface. There were also small runes tracing along the edges of it, barely discernible.

But that wasn't all. 

A few seconds later, the shard began to glow, casting a soft white light before a small pocket of space opened from it, the runes resonating. 

'Interesting…'