1 End of the Path〢Prologue

".. not yet" Blood poured out of his leg. He clung to the crown he held in his arms—a golden crown dazzling even in the dark, no designs embed on it, only eight pointy spikes present on it.

His breathing became heavy as he trudged across the floor. To him, every step felt like an eternity. His legs felt heavy, like someone tied heavy steel chains around them. Yet he kept walking in the grim passage made from navy stones, with marks of historical events imprinted on it.

He felt his consciousness fade.

"Arthur", Victoria grabbed Arthur. She wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gripped his waist.

He clenched the crown with his one arm, and in a tired and silent voice, Arthur asked.

"So.., the others?"

After a moment of hesitation, she replied, "They, they could not make it."

Arthur's gaze fell on the ground. He recalled his purpose; This was not the time to mourn.

He looked in front—In the gloomy passage; he saw signs of dim light. His pupils expanded.

"finally", he rejoiced in a silent whisper. The light served as hope in the eternal darkness.

The dim light provided some strength in his legs. They walked near the light.

At the end of the passage, there lay no land. They finally arrived at the edge of the world—where the lands ended, and the Abyss began—a seemingly bottomless chasm.

Standing on top of the passage, they looked down at the gaping pit. Blacks clouds swirled around it, constantly clashing with each other.

Both of them gulped. Arthur's breathing became normal.

"Now, the time has arrived," Victoria said as she looked into the crown.

"Yes—" Arthur took back his arms and held the crown. "—it has"

He stretched both of his hands, holding the crown and placing the crown directly above the Abyss.

Victoria felt heaviness in her legs. She looked down and saw a heavy black chain circling her legs. "Oh, no" The chain tightened, she let out a small scream.

Hearing her scream, Arthur's body flinched. He looked beside, as he saw her getting dragged into the darkness.

"Arthur…" She cried as she got dragged into the darkness.

"Victoria!" He cried

The ground trembled as Arthur heard footsteps approaching. He clutched his teeth.

From the darkness emerged a monstrous creature. As the monster stepped into the dim light, Arthur witnessed its frame.

Not a man but a skeleton—not just a skeleton but a Lich—Frame bigger than 10 feet, dense bones, colossal frame, no eyes, but a red glowing pupil that emitted malice.

Arthur held the crown even more tightly. He stepped back in the passage, now one step from falling into the Abyss.

In a horse voice—filled with intimidation and spite—the Lich spoke, "A CHOICE."

Arthur's gaze fell upon the Lich's arm. The bony, long, disgusting arm that held on to unconscious Victoria's face. Its finger cruelly gripping her like holding a bug.

"THE CROWN OR THE WOMAN'S LIFE," The Lich demanded.

Arthur's gaze shifted from Victoria's to the Lich's eyes. A light smile brew on his face as he remembered the last discussion with Victoria he had before they left for the journey to the edge of the world.

"The Lich has become too powerful. Even if all the kingdoms unite, we still won't be able to kill it. But, the Lich is dying. Its body won't be able to hold on for long. As you possess the only items that can save its life, it will come for you," Victoria sighed. She continued, "I have gathered few powerful people and formed a party. We shall set sail to the edge of the world. The only way to destroy those items is to throw them down on the Abyss."

"But, why don't we use the Crown's power to kill the lich?" Arthur had asked. At that moment, the reply Victoria gave been stuck in Arthur's mind ever since.

"Because we are humans!

We are fragile. An arrow to the heart or a small needle covered in poison is enough to kill us. We don't live for long, but that makes the little moments we live for more special. But if we use the crown,

Who can say the one who uses the crown won't turn into the same as the Lich?

Who can say that he won't greed for more than just the little moments?

Who can say immortality won't corrupt his heart?

And if even after using the crown, we fail, and the crown lies on the hands of the Lich. What of this world then?

How many innocents did the Lich sacrifice to extend his own life?

The journey we are about to start, Is it to save our own lives? No! It's for the people who will carry our will after us, our family, our kids, the people in your kingdom. So long as the Lich lives, the world will never be peaceful.

When we set sail, we sail as soldiers, not as just a man or a woman, not as a king or his queen, but as soldiers, selfless soldiers.

We must destroy the crown and the heart, no matter the cost."

Arthur sighed, "Yes, I understand."

"No—" Victoria grabbed Arthur's face with her soft two hands, "—You don't" She looked into his blue eyes and said, "No Matter The Cost."

"THE CROWN OR THE WOMAN'S LIFE," The Lich demanded again

With a light smile face on his face, Arthur took the final step backwards. He saw the empty sky as his body fell. He felt the swirly breeze on his face as he just looked into the open sky with a tear dropping from his right eye.

"FOOLISH HUMAN" The Lich waved his left arm in front. Two chains from the darkness emerged and followed Arthur's corpse.

The Lich tightened his right hand. It grasped Victoria's face with immense pressure. Her head squeezed. Bones unable to endure broke. And in a flash, her skull, along with muscles, all scattered like juice on the ground. Her body below and neck fell on the floor. And Blood poured out her headless neck.

The chains left the passageway and tried to catch Arthur before he could reach on the black clouds.

Arthur spotted the two chains, as he had been continually looking above.

He clutched the crown with all his might. One chain reached near his leg. To avoid the chain, he retracted his leg.

Arthur clutched the crown with his right hand and poured all his might on to it.

One chain swirled around his legs.

Arthur then threw down the crown on to Abyss.

Other chain followed the crown. Anticipation and dread passed down Arthur's spine as he saw the chain chase after the crown. But the black clouds swallowed the crown. The chain failed to catch it in time.

Arthur's let out a breath of relief.

The chain pulled him back on edge and threw him down near Victoria's corpse.

The Lich walked near the edge and gazed at the Abyss.

Arthur took deep breaths as he saw her corpse. Few drops of tears fell passed down his skin. He held on to her arm, and in a voice trying to hide his sorrow, he said, "We succeeded… we", He cried as he held on to her hand.

"COMMENDABLE, NEVER DID I FORESEE SUCH A OUTCOME" The Lich turned back. He moved his right hand inside his cloak, "SIX HEROES WHO SUCCEEDED AGAINST ALL ODDS. I shall remember them—" He took out a heart-shaped locket. With small chains hanging from it. "—As I RIP OUT THEIR HEARTS with my own arms in the NEXT LIFE, that is"

Arthur's body flinched, "Next life?" He looked above and saw the locket in his arm.

"No, no—no, no, no, no," In his heart, he felt immense pain. The memories of the past flashed through his mind. The words of his companions, "Such a burden to carry alone is a terrible thing. Believe in us. Lets us hold on to the Heart and we shall not fail. Even at the cost of our lives, we shall drop it down into the abyss.."

"Why? why—" His voice stuttered, "why do you have the 'Heart Of Azrael'"

"OH THIS, WELL, I GAVE THEM A CHOICE—" Arthur looked at Lich's face. Even though, from a face with no skin and only bones, the expression could not be determined. Arthur felt the Lich giving off a light smile. "—THEY JUST COULD NOT CHOOSE."

Arthur felt hard to breathe, and he could not speak. His thoughts were in shambles. Two chains moved from behind the Lich and wrapped themselves in Arthur's neck.

Arthur grabbed the chains, trying to free himself, but alas, resistance became futile. The chains lifted Arthur to the wall and placed him there. Arthur still resisted.

"NEVER HAD I EVER MET A HUMAN LIKE YOU—" The Lich moved in closer. "—REJOICE, YOU PUSHED ME TO TAKE MEASURES I, FOR THE MOST PART, WOULD HAVE NEVER TAKEN."

Arthur remained there, struggling to breathe. "NOW, THROUGH YOU, I SHALL LIVE ON" The Lich extended his hand, placing the locket near Arthur's chest

He extended his finger and pierced the locket along with Arthur's heart.

Arthur screamed as his blue pupils expanded. The color of his blue eyes turned red.

The passage trembled. The Lich's Body faded along with Arthur's.

Before his body faded, the Lich said his last words in this life, "For no matter the odds, Death, my friend, I shall always defy."

Near the Loach lake, Traders made a small camp.

"Please, just little food," One kid begged. "No, haven't you heard enough? Now leave", The guard denied him as he poked him lightly with his spear

"Please, I beg of you, my friend is starving," With bright blue gentle eyes, he asked. The boy wore dusty, mostly tore blue cloth with a mark of a slave placed in the shoulder. Compared to the guard in his 30s, the boy was just 16 years old. The guard was equipped in heavy armor, head covered in a metal helmet. The only skin part visible was his neck and black eyes.

The stubborn boy did not comply, "Please...… argh!!!" Suddenly he started choking. He grabbed his neck; his heart felt immerse pain like a blunt object pierced it. He rolled on the ground in pain.

"Humph! You think such an act you provide you any food, dream on!"

"no.." the boy struggled.

Then suddenly, he stopped. "I knew it was an act."

The boy's eyes were closed. He stood up. Suddenly the guard felt the change in atmosphere.

The boy just stood there. "You still dare not leave!" The guard pointed his spear around the boy's neck. "Now, leave!"

Suddenly the boy's eyes opened; the gentle blue eyes had disappeared. Instead, the guard saw fierce blood-red eyes.

The guard shook up. He pulled back the spear as his body felt danger but in a hurry. A light part of the boy's neck got cut, leaving a scar.

Before the guard could pull back his spear, the boy's hand caught it. Looking at the boy's red eyes filled with malice, the guard felt strength leaving his body.

The boy took a step closer. Using his other hand—in a swift movement—he drew the small blade in the guard's waist and sliced his throat.

Blood squinted out of the guard's neck. The guard fell on his knees, then his face.

The boy looked at his arms and grabbed the back of his neck. The color of his eyes turned back to blue. He barely held back the laughter. He lifted both of his hands and brought one closer to his face, and exclaimed, "Once again, Death, I defied"

Plop!!!….. He turned back as he heard an object falling. Looking down, he saw a basket of fallen clothes. And ahead of the basket, a girl—in her 16s—who also wore the mark of a slave—covering her mouth with her arm in surprise.

As she saw the dead body, she asked, "What have you done? Arthur.."