She turned. She appeared shocked, as if I had appeared out of nowhere.

'Oh, God! You are bleeding,' she said, wrapping her arm around my waist, dipping on her knees to let me snuggle my arm over her shoulder for support.

'Who did this to you?'

I think my lips moved, but I couldn't hear my words, only a few spurts of blood-red breath left me. How many steps did we walk? I'm not sure, but I remember a castle with black oil-shined walls that matched her long-flowing dress, an enormous wooden door that creaked and jarred when she pushed it open.

When we entered, I managed to lift my head but once—the castle's ceiling had paintings—of battles forgotten, all monochrome, except one color that stood out. The red was red in all the wounds and dead and fighting and fallen—only the blood was colored on the ceiling.

'Careful now, watch your step,' I barely heard her words, and suddenly darkness appeared and I felt a thud on my forehead and nothing much after.

Then there were periods of dreams and wakefulness and dreams that felt like wakefulness. But every time I managed to open my eyelids glued by the crust, she was there. Sitting on the black floor in the faraway corner of the black hall I was lying in, smiling in her black gown, her eyes black and dark, her skin white as porcelain.

'How do you feel now?' Her voice sounded distant.

'How many days has it been since I've been asleep?' I wanted to yawn, but I hesitated in her presence.

'I think it's been eight or nine..'

'Nine days?' It surprised me; I felt the soft white shirt I was wrapped in, my wounds all healed, my hair washed and tied.

'Centuries.' Her voice did not betray the pain she held beneath her tight lips.

'What? Why... I mean how? Who kept me alive for so long?'

'Me.'

'You? Why? You don't even know me.'

'I know enough. Enough to love you and nothing else.'

I tried to look into her eyes, but the blackness scared me. I strayed my gaze, but the walls recoiled me — the blank black walls with no pictures or windows.

She angled her head, followed my gaze, then looked back at me, standing up, walking two steps towards me, and stopping. 'I am sorry. I am cursed. You deserve better.'

'Listen...' she walked out without turning back, leaving me alone.

She didn't return, I don't know for how long. I could not sleep; her pained face, the terrible longing in her eyes, her hesitant love... yes, love. It had to be love.

I too fell in love. With her. And with every passing heartbeat, my love grew, overflowing my heart, compelling me to walk and reach out to her.

So I did. I was strong enough to walk out. To seek love.

Outside the room, the castle was empty, without a whisper or an echo, with barren odorless air and metallic taste that lingered in the black corridors and black halls.

Halls and walls, I checked them all... but no sign I found of my black love. Until...

I saw a door, red as blood, across a long-dark corridor, a golden handle with the keyhole leaking pin-pricks of white light.

I took a long deep breath, reached out to the handle—Cold as ice.

I lowered it and the door opened without a hiss or a creak.

This room was different; white, the floor and the walls and the bed in between. And cold.

The only thing that was black was her; lying, sleeping, dreaming, alone.

'Hello...' No response.

'Hello...' I took but one step towards her and felt a sharp cut on my back. I whipped around—No one. 'W... who's there?' I felt the trickle on my calf, gliding down to my ankle and toes—a red trickle.

'Wait there.' She yanked out of the bed, both palms stretched open, stumbling backward, away from me.

'W... who did this?' I pointed at the little blood trail at my feet.

'Please... I beg you. Walk away. Come no further.'

'I love you.' The cut hurt less than her retreating steps.

'I can't... I shouldn't love you.'

'Shouldn't? Does that mean...'

'Please! I beg you. Walk away.'

'No. For centuries, you've kept me alive. I have been loveless too. I love you and I can take you away to another world.'

'Another world?' She sank to her knees, her face in her palms, pressed between her knees.

I took another step—a jolt stabbed me and I felt blood oozing out of thigh. 'Who is doing this to me?'

'Me.' Her choked whisper stopped me.

'What... why? I thought you loved me...'

'I did and shall forever do.'

'Then save me and save yourself. We can go to a beautiful world I belong to. Come...' I raised my hand.

'Another world? Nothing exists but this dark palace now.'

'What do you mean? My world, my people.'

'I killed them.'

'You are lying.'

'I am not. I am cursed. Death cursed me. No one can step near me. I cannot be loved.'

'I don't believe you. You are lying. I see beauty and pain and hope in your eyes.' With that, I walked towards him, bearing the cuts and the shards and the stabs that pricked and zipped and bled my skin.

'Please... STOP!'

But I didn't. I reached her, breathless, nearly lifeless, and fell.

'Noooooo!' She lifted my head and placed it on her thighs. 'I am sorry... I am sorry.'

'I don't understand.' I sucked air and blood into my lungs, my lips dribbled red, my eyes bleach. 'I am Peace... that's my name. Why am I dying as I near you?'

She looked up at the ceiling and screamed. I saw the change... the walls and the floor and the bed, all turned black.

'I am sorry... I am sorry that I couldn't stop loving you. I am sorry... that my love is your end.'

'At least... t... tell me y... your name.' I tried to lift my hand to touch her face. I couldn't. But I heard the last words.

'My dear Peace, forgive me for I loved you for eternity. But we cannot be together in this world on the next. My name is War.'

She lifted her head, and I felt a judder in her palms and her bosom. She screamed, — I didn't hear it this time.

Peace died in War's arms that night.