After grueling months of endless battles with the Dark General's monster forces, Mikio finally came face-to-face with the villain himself on battlefield. They were surrounded by even more monsters, but for some reason the General ordered them to stand back. Perhaps he also had some sense of honor.

"Your tyranny ends today!" the youth announced and raised his sword in challenge. "Draw your weapon!"

He didn't. As a matter of fact, he didn't look like he even had any weapons on him.

Miko wasn't sure what to do. Slaying an unarmed man didn't feel right, no matter what he had done.

Then the General solved this dilemma for him by hurling a gigantic ball of darkness straight at him. So he was a spellcaster! Instantly he swung his sword down on the sphere with every intention of splitting it in half. But instead it bounced back like a rock hit with a stick.

His opponent leaped to the air much higher than a mere human could to avoid the attack suddenly turned back on him.

Mikio quickly gave chase and cornered him near one of the large boulders littering the otherwise barren landscape. He swung his sword again. One clean strike and they could go home-

The Dark General caught the blade in one gauntleted hand. Before Mikio could react, he grabbed the collar of his leather armor, reversed their positions and slammed him against the boulder.

He couldn't breathe. His ribs felt like they were cracking under the intense pressure against his chest. He couldn't free his sword either. Was this the end...?

"Give up. Your strength is not nearly enough."

"I will not," Mikio grunted, his resolve kindling again. "Others may have failed before, but I will not!"

Somehow...he'd bring about a peaceful world where people wouldn't need to be afraid of monsters.

"Foolish child! Do you still cling to that prophecy of yours?" He jerked Tai-Ren from Mikio's grasp and threw it to the ground. "Forsake that sword and join me. You don't have to die like the one before you."

"I will never join you! I was born to destroy the darkness!"

The Dark General stopped. He still had a firm hold on Mikio's collar, but he was no longer pushing the youth against the stone hard enough to nearly crush him. Then he asked, "According to who?"

Now that he thought about it, Mikio didn't know the answer. People had repeated the prophecy to him as long as he could remember. He had never questioned that he was the one.

"You were born to inherit this darkness. The prophecy is nothing more than a twisted tale spun by cruel gods. A tragic lie that repeats over and over."

His mind was getting increasingly fuzzy. Without the sword, he'd stand no chance. So...was there any point in trying anymore...?

"If you die, Tai-Ren will simply await for its next master. If I die...there will be another. The only way to end this cycle...is to destroy the sword. No more destined heroes. No more innocent children throwing their lives away."

It made sense in a terrible way. He hadn't ever really asked for this role. It had torn any semblance of normal life from him from the start. Adults had adored him because he was the one the prophecy spoke of. His siblings and agemates had hated him for hogging all the attention.

He struggled to keep his eyes open. "What about...my village?"

"It will be alright." That voice was so soothing all of a sudden. Familiar in some way. "Your village will be safe. All you have to do is follow me."

There was a brief flash of light not far from them, and two boys appeared where Tai-Ren had rested on the ground, armored and their own blades in their hands.

"Let him go!" Ren demanded.

"Please don't listen to him, Mikio!" Tai pleaded. "You must destroy him!"

But...why? Mikio couldn't remember anymore.

"Don't go!" Tai sounded close to tears. "Don't leave us alone again!"

"Silence!" the Dark General snapped.

Both boys screamed as dark power enveloped them like a thousand blades, slicing everywhere it touched. Even their armor offered no protection at all.

"Stop...Don't kill them..." Mikio whispered, his voice barely audible. Why weren't Tai and Ren fighting back...?

"Our true power manifests only when wielded by the chosen one," Tai's strained voice spoke in his mind. "We cannot...defeat him alone..."

Ren wasn't as patient. "I'll hate you forever if you led us this far only to betray us!"

The Dark General pulled him closer and spoke to his ear, "Just a little longer. Then you and I will both be free."

But he didn't want to be free if it meant being without those two...

Not knowing what else to do, he chomped down hard on the side of the man's neck. His mouth filled with coppery taste mingled with a definitely rotten flavor.

In any case, it worked. As the hand holding him close left his body, the dark shroud clouding his mind also faded almost instantly.

"Tai! Ren! To me!" he shouted.

He could have sworn the boys smiled with pride right before they disappeared in a flash of light. Tai-Ren was right there as his fingers closed on previously thin air.

All traces of hesitation gone, he plunged the blade through the Dark General's chest. The man stared at him in disbelief for a second. Then he turned to dust, leaving behind only a large black amulet.

All the monsters waiting for his next command shared the same fate. They had won. The world was safe again.

And the three of them were free to live their own lives as they saw fit. Together.