Garden Of The Abyss

The marble flooring littered with bodies vanished, the walls were gone, and the somber chamber was nowhere to be seen; replacing it all was a boundless garden of flowers, a lively, verdant field so bountiful with life it was unmistakably a paradise. Some plants stood taller than castles, blooming with a colorful array as they danced melodically in the passing breeze.

The only ceiling existing now belonged to a tree so massive it looked to dwarf kingdoms; its limbs stretching far and wide to create a verdant sky of leaves. It stood in the center of the enigmatic domain; a cedar likely primordial in age.

It wasn\'t the only of its kind, many colossal trees reminiscent of those in Grandueve existed, connecting to the bridges of branches in the sky.

"Where are we?"

"...I don\'t know. This seems to be a tertiary spell, but I\'ve never seen one like this…it\'s so…vast."

Iris answered Ren as her barrier was overridden by the existence of this new domain, stepping over to the young man.

"Tertiary spell? I don\'t think I\'ve seen something like this before."

"They\'re more difficult to master than great magic, and exist in a smaller scope. Tertiary spells alter the environment…usually it\'s just manifesting weather, but this seems like an entirely new realm we\'ve been brought into."

Iris answered as she watched the king still remain knelt in the verdant field, huffing before he finally began to stand.

"I see. So it\'s like a home field advantage?"

"If you put it like that, yeah…but they can bring a lot of benefits for the caster. We don\'t know what kind of attributes are in this place…Ren, what I\'m trying to say is--be careful. Inside of an enemy\'s territory, you can\'t fight normally--you can\'t be reckless."

The blue-haired woman spoke softly as she kept her hands close to her chest.

As he looked at the woman for a moment with his golden, wheel-shaped irises, he sighed, slowly shaking his head, "if that\'s the case…I don\'t like it, but I\'m going to need your support."

"Really?"

Iris seemed to glow at these words as she smiled with her vibrant azures in place of her shocked lips.

"Don\'t look so happy about it. This is life or death. And don\'t forget—support; that means you\'re staying the hell away from that guy…I\'ll make sure he doesn\'t get close."

"I\'m not helpless, you know."

"...I know that, it\'s just--"

Ren bashfully ruffled his naturally white tufts as he averted his gilded gaze, feeling the vibrant azures of the girl lock onto him.

"I understand, Ren," Iris smiled as she nudged his arm with her elbow, "You\'re just worried about me. I appreciate it...I feel the same way towards you, though. Standing there like a damsel, watching you fight...it felt like my skin was blistering...It was so painful, if you would\'ve been hurt because I was powerless…"

Hearing her genuine words, he began to understand how she truly felt, and started to realize the error of his actions.

I get it now. While I was thinking I was doing what was best for her by keeping her safe, I was ignoring what she really wanted...she\'s a bit crazy, just like me, Ren thought.

"If that\'s really how you feel...then let\'s fight him--together."

Ren spoke as he began to walk forward, flipping Belus between his fingers as he let the spring breeze present in the utopian realm brush against his pale locks.

As he looked back with a smile that possessed soothing confidence, the words that accompanied that look brought a slight pink to the young woman\'s cheeks as she tried to conceal her fluster with fervent nods of her head.

"Okay! Let\'s."

With their resolve cemented, they both faced the hollow king, but something unexpected came from that wordless king.

He spoke.

"Young warriors."

--His voice was gentle, but strong, one used to commanding others, but even more adept at consoling those he ordered.

Both Ren and Iris were at a loss for words themselves at this odd instance of speech from the thought to be mute king--simply staring at him with blank expressions.

"You both are indeed incredible; stars of the new generation of this world. However, incredibly you may be, I am a wall you cannot surmount with your current strength. As you are now, you will add to the blood etched onto Excalibur; another name inlaid into its unmatched march of victory. That is why I implore you--do your best, do not kneel to my power. Fight me until you claim triumph, even if I should cut you down a thousand times."

Somehow, the words weren\'t spoken from a place of ego, but the benevolence that still resided within the king who ruled over nothing as his gentle, royal irises of an emerald complexion gazed softly upon the two--there was no malice inhabiting those eyes, as they both noted.

"Why\'re you saying this?"

Ren asked as he kept his blade raised, though he couldn\'t sense any immediate hostility from the king.

"...I simply believe you may be capable of granting my wish; eternal rest."

As the king of a youthful appearance, dulled by his lifeless skin, slowly wrapped both hands around the shining, golden handle of his sword, holding it upright in front of him with grace, he looked upon it with a soft, slight smile.

"Right now, we\'re not standing within the holds of Purgatory. This is...a place special to myself. That\'s all I can remember now. The names of my brothers...I\'ve forgotten them. How long have I been here? Centuries? At some point, the years blend together. Before I lose myself completely; my values and who I am--I\'d like to take my leave from this world that I\'ve overstayed my welcome in. I may be nothing but a puppet now for Purgatory, but please grant me the privilege of challenging you of my own volition, as Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot."

"Just tell me one thing though."

Ren suddenly asked before their clash within the utopian territory began, keeping his blade upright as his eyes locked with the king\'s own.

"Yes?"

"If you want to die so badly, why not just do it yourself?...You don\'t seem like a bad guy, I think...so why even fight us?"

Asked this by the snowy-haired young man, King Arthur stayed silent for a moment before nodding his head gently.

Iris had the same thought, reiterating as she stood at the young man\'s side, "He\'s right...you seem kind, so why do this?"

"Ignoring the disgrace that would come from taking my own life...I simply don\'t have the power to. As a Floor Guardian within Purgatory, I can\'t die...I also can\'t control my own body well either; however, if my soul were to be attacked...I may be able to pass on. I realized it after being on the receiving end of those golden flames, feeling them bombard my soul directly...I was able to reawaken, if only for these few, sparse moments. Perhaps it was one final mercy from this world that I met you; I\'ve chosen you two to be my final opponents."

"I see…"

Ren took in the information as a droplet of sweat lined his cheek, looking at the somber veil that existed over the king\'s eyes.

Staying silent for a moment, Ren finally nodded his head, "...I accept."

The young woman nodded the same as the two agreed to the forgotten king\'s request--an outcome that granted a smile to his lips before settling into a honed expression; prepared for battle.

"I should warn you...I shall very well soon lose all control; I can feel it even now like a knife twisted into my brain...complete and utter bloodlust, unstoppable and unending. I will come at you with everything I have."

As King Arthur gave this warning, it became apparently the strain he was enduring to restrain himself just to speak as veins protruding against his skin as a thick storm of bloodlust surrounded the king.

"That\'s fine by me. I expect nothing less."

"You\'re just as I had hoped...your names, please--tell me your names before I lose myself."

King Arthur asked as a noble sadness laid in his emerald eyes, standing tall as his body quivered with the unwanted thirst for blood surging through his veins.

Straightening his stance out and maintaining direct eye contact, Ren answered, "Ren Nakamura."

Following his lead, the azure-haired girl gave her name as well, "Iris."

"Ren, Iris--what splendid names. Let the name of Pendragon promise you victory on this today!"

Using the last of his reserved strength, King Arthur raised his treasured blade up to the sky with one arm, standing tall as his entire body trembled.

One last smile. It was the last expression of the long forgotten king before he was overtaken by the holds of Purgatory, descending into blood-thirsting madness.

Silence once more was all the king inhabited as his sword-wielding arm slumped down, looking towards the two with empty, dull eyes devoid of the last embers they previously held.

"I\'m relying on you to back me up, Iris."

"I know. I\'ll support you with everything I have."

"Let\'s put him to rest--the Hero Knight."