"Why aren't you scared of me, Aris?"

Zeke had asked Aris that several times. And he had never had an answer. But this time, he had been afraid. 

The intense coldness, the suffocating feeling as the Vazihas had rounded on him. The helplessness, and worst of all, the terror as the person he loves more than anyone, merely looked on. 

He tried to make excuses, maybe Zeke was simply too shocked. Scared perhaps. It didn't make sense that he would just let him die. 

But there was no time anymore to think about it. 

Aris, Nia and Aahan, along with the rest of the Vartiyahs made their way to the castle grounds. Aris took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the shadows that danced around menacingly. He glanced around, his eyes searching fervently for Ezekiel. Where was he?

But there was son time to think as Azure commanded from behind them. A single word and they were off. 

"Victorifiechi."

Aris shut his eyes, calling upon the powers inside him. The powers he had honed for so long, the powers that were perhaps the only reason he was still alive. He crouched down, placing a hand on the earth as it trembled violently, a fissure forming in front of them. The shadows scattered in what could only be assumed as fear. 

All around him, chaos erupted. Screams, shouts, agonised yells. Flashes of light, flashes of fire, burning so close to him his skin was almost aflame. The earth rose to his call, trembling and parting to bury the ever expanding Vazihas. And yet the darkness merely seemed to bellow. 

He breathed hard, struggling to keep the shadows away from the Vartiyahs. But he was the sole Vartiyah who could control the earth, and it was taking a toll on him. The Vazihas themselves never seemed to diminish, as if multiplying in number till Aris collapsed on the floor, panting. 

Chaos around him remained constant, panicked shrieks as the novice Vartiyahs ran around,m struggling to fight the shadows off. It felt like all of them had forgotten their training when it mattered the most. And through all the ruckus, Aris couldn't help but look for Zeke. 

He rose to his feet, pelting back into the castle. Maybe having his Andira around would make him stronger. Were was Zeke anyway? He wielded starlight. Without him, they wouldn't be able to battle these creatures. 

"Zeke?" he called desperately into the dark corridors, wondering vaguely if more of the Vazihas would instead pounce on him. The chaotic hours outside made adrenaline rush through his veins. They didn't have time. If the Vazihas kept increasing in number, there was only so much the Deus could do. Even with the help from the fairies. 

And it was then that the reality slowly dawned over him. Zeke had left. Ran away from his problems like he always had. 

Every time Aris was sure h was too numb to feel pain, he was proven otherwise. And the thought of Zeke running away, leaving them leaving him, felt like a knife through his chest. But maybe that was for the better. At least he would live. Even if Aris didn't. 

Was Zeke the coward? Because he ran away? Or was Aris the coward? Because he couldn't run away? Because he couldn't fathom the idea of watching everything he loved get turned to dust. 

He turned as he heard a pained moan and saw a Vartiyah he didn't know the name of stagger into the castle and crumple to his knees. His blood ran cold when he saw the man's face already half ashen, dark veins erupting on his biceps, visible from his tattered clothes. 

They were losing. 

Without planning it, Aris pelted towards the staircase, running as fast as he could up the stairs. By the time he reached the roof, he fell to his knees, panting for precious air. They needed reinforcements. They weren't enough. Even with the fairies, they weren't enough. But where could he find them?

Things would be different if Zeke was here. But he had left. 

As always. 

Aris' throat burnt, his shoulders aching from what felt like the weight of the entire universe. What could he do? Why did he feel responsible for Zeke leaving? Why wasn't he enough to keep him from leaving?

"Are you hurt?"

Aris eyes snapped towards the source of the sound. He saw a tall, shadowy figure he would recognize anywhere, the voice that had often turned his stomach into knots. 

"Z-Zeke?" he stuttered, managing to pull himself to his feet. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I saw Geoffrey," Zeke said. "When the Vizhas attacked you. Maybe I was hallucinating."

"You...you killed him," Aris said, his lower lip trembling. "You told me you did."

"Yes. I...maybe."

Aris rose to his feet, walking so he stood beside Zeke. They gazed down at the war arguing below, the flashes of light, the glistening crimson, the menacing growls and shrieks. Maybe Aris was imaging it, but the Vazihas seemed less in number. 

"Zeke...they need you," Aris said softly. "I...I thought you left."

"I wanted to," Zeke said. "That's what I've always wanted to."

"We can defeat them if we go down right now," Aris said, panic clogging up his throat as another shriek pierced through the sky. A female voice. Nia? 

"And then what?" Zeke asked, his gaze drifting upward to the sky. Aris heart jumped to his throat when he realized how definitely bigger the Ultimaria looked. Soon it would come close enough to completely cast its light over Obscura. "You know what will happen after that Aris."

"I told you, haven't I?" Aris spoke. "We defeat the Vazihas. Then we defeat the Ultimaria. That's it."

"You're delusional," Zeke said. "We defeat the Vaziha and then I die."

"Zeke," Aris said, "We'll..we'll find something out okay?" His voice rose desperately, the air suddenly thick as he struggled to maintain coherence. "please. We don't have time for doubts. If we don't go down right now, it ends."

Zeke turned to look at him, his amethyst eyes glittering eerily in the dark. "Can you do one thing for me, Aris?"

"Anything," Aris whispered. 

"Can you stop loving me, for a while?" 

Aris almost laughed at his ridiculous request, wondering if this was one of his twisted jokes. But Zeke remained silent, waiting for an answer. And Aris lied. 

"Yes."

Zeke nodded back, leaning in to brush his lips against his forehead. "Then I'm ready."

They made their way downstairs, their fingers no longer entwined. Aris could understand to a certain extent why Zeke had wanted to stop loving him for a while. It was the very same reason Azure had helped stage Aris'; death. So that he would no longer have any attachment to Obscura So he would be able to sacrifice himself freely when the time came. 

But both the Obscura and the earth needed to collide and shatter before Aris could stop loving Zeke. 

They emerged into the battlefield which was somewhat quiet than before. The number of shadows seemed to remain constant, while most of the Vazihas had fallen to the floor, injured, broken, bruised. Aris didn't dare look at any of them. 

"Asterius," a feeble voice called from behind them and Aris turned to see Azure standing, his usually grand clothes soaked in blood. "We...we thought you-"

"I was about to," Zeke said before he turned to face the shadows. He raised a hand, the palm facing outwards as a brilliant flash of light erupted across the fields. A loud chorus of moans, that Aris wasn't sure was real or imagined pierced the night sky. The Vartiyahs shrieks died down as the shows crippled to the ground one by one, Starlight burning them into nothingness. 

Aris took a deep breath, calling for the earth to his aid. And slowly but steadily, the tides seemed to turn in their favour. Zeke's bright light streaking and burning across the corrupted shadows till their numbers dwindled. Aris stood, stunned as he witnessed Zeke's powers first hand. He had always known how strong Zeke truly was, but had never visualized the legendary prowess. The Vazihas crumpled like paper, defeated by the power of the Vartiyahs. A strange sense of hope burnt in Aris' chest even as he struggled to maintain his footing. The Vartiyahs shrieks reduced in volume. 

He was so mesmerized by the enchanting display of starlight that it took him a while to realize that Zeke alone was no longer the sole source of light. He glanced upwards to see the entire sky illuminated. He had to turn his eyes away from the sight, his heart pounding in his throat as he realized the Ultimaria had finally arrived. To engulf Obscura, unless it was destroyed first. 

"Asterius!" Azure called from behind them and Aris' blood ran cold. Was it time already? But he had told Zeke they would figure something out. No way was this the end. No way was he ready to say goodbye. 

Zeke turned to face them, his eyes burning a poisonous amethyst. Alight with what looked like maniacal energy. His fingertips blazing, streaks of lights emanating from him. 

The light from above increased in intensity, becoming blinding as the rest of the Vaizhas slunk away, hiding from the illuminated sky. A strange silence fell over the Sentinel Sognare. Time seemed to stop as Aris' eyes met Ezekiel's.

"It's time," Ezzkeiel said, his voice floating almost dismembered. And before Aris could understand what was happening, Zeke spread his eyes, lifting his face towards the sky. Webs of light encase his entire form till he was no longer visible, just a mass of light, much like the Vazihas had bene of darkness. 

In the distance, a loud scream sounded. The Ultimaria had attached to another Vaziha. And Aris knew in his heart, who it was.