He'd made a mistake.
As Roman crawled forward, blood seeping between his fingertips, he knew he'd made a mistake. He never should have tried, when he knew he wouldn't win.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp62aYQ6hqz
Shakily, Roman lifted his hand and pointed his blade at Domenyk.
"Solo. One on one. Loser dies."
Domenyk tilted his head. "Are you sure, Roman? Remember, it can't be taken back. Once you say yes, the battle doesn't end until one of you dies."
Roman nodded, tears in his eyes. "Yes. I'm sure."
Domenyk sighed. He turned to the side and whispered to one of his attendants.
Within a few minutes, Arik joined them. The young man watched Roman with miserable eyes.
Domenyk stepped between them. "May all here bear witness. The challenge has been made, the competition accepted. Roman Santano challenges Arik Ariston. I, Domenyk Ariston, am mediator, and final vote on the winner. May the best man win. When I step outside of the lines, the battle begins." With that, Domenyk stepped out of their way, hurrying to the sidelines, where a crowd had gathered.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq05fnaUgWH
Roman wasted no time, tossing his blade aside and pulling out his Sabris. The sword glowed with light, and Roman sighed, throwing himself sideways to avoid a blast of plasma flying at him. Turning, he watched as Arik reloaded his Plasmik. Roman narrowed his eyes. So that's how you want to play it, eh? Well just you wait. He threw himself forward, slashing down at his opponent, who barely managed to dodge the blade.
Flipping his long hair out of his face, Roman jumps at Arik again, dodging another plasma burst, jabbing at Arik with his Sabris. Arik dodges and fires at him again, which Roman narrowly avoids.
Roman twists around, dodging several more bursts of plasma, and tossing his blade at Arik before using the magnet around his waist to return it to him. Turning to watch Arik, he begins to circle, his blade hanging by his side, forming a smoking circle indent in the ground.
Arik copied his movements, circling around Roman, his blaster hanging next to him.
At the same moment, they lept forward, and, as Roman snatched away Arik's Plasmik, he heard a thunk and a loud hissing noise.
He lands, and spins around, gaping at what he sees. Laying there before him was Arik, laying on the ground, his hands wrapped around the blade in his stomach.
Roman, tossing the Plasmik aside, went to Arik's side, holding his face in his hands.
"Why?" Arik choked out, looking at him with betrayal in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Arik, I'm so, so sorry," Roman said, tears flowing freely from his eyes. "I had to. I had to, Arik, I didn't have a choice. I'm so sorry." As he looks into Arik's eyes, watching the light fade from them, he leans forward and kisses Arik, his tears and Arik's blood mixing into a miserable mixture.
He kisses Arik again and again. "I'm so sorry, Arik, so sorry. I love you, Arik, I'm sorry."
Finally, as the light fades completely from Arik's eyes, and he closes them for the very last time, Roman turns and cries out, "Are you happy now!"
In a flash of lightning, a man appears before him. This man is wearing a long blue robe, his golden hair blowing in the wind, his silver eyes gleaming with madness, his wings a dark violet, his ruby lips twisted in a cruel sneer. "Oh, poor Roman, lost your Arik, did you?"
Roman looked at the man in a hot rage. "I asked you a question."
The man chuckled. "Yes, it does. Now you understand. Now you understand the cost of love."
Roman watched the man, his eyesight going red. "Oh, I understand all right. But I don't think you do. And you of all people should understand, Cupid. And it seems I'm in the position to show you." His eyes full of madness and misery, Roman grabs his Sabris and Arik's Plasmik, and stabs Cupid as he fires the blaster.
Cupid gasps, then dissipates into bronze dust.
Roman crumples then, tears flowing down his face, covering him in tears. Looking down at the Sabris in his hand, he comes to a decision.
Looking up into the eyes of the man who could have been his brother-in-law, he smiles. Looking at the man who used to be his lover, he weeps. And as he looks up at the heavens from which a cruel fate was given him, he plunges the sword into his heart, dying instantly, falling to the ground with a loud thud.
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