Chapter 12

"Took you long enough…", he replied.

Huh? Was I right? Was this really Midnight Requiem? How come he's human?

"Hmmm…", seeing that I was confused, the person in front of me giggled.

"I see…", he said.

Seriously dude, you should try to make sense out of your words!!! Don't leave me hanging or give me some cryptic messages!

All of a sudden, he waved his hands, and in an instant, the sword, 'Midnight Requiem' was in front of me. The long sword that look a lot like a katana was wrapped in black cloth.

"Why?", I asked while not expecting any reply but unfortunately he gave me an answer this time.

"I am you and you are me…", he said again. His words were cryptic and I can't seem to find any meaning or connection to any of them nonetheless, I still listened to them to get a gist of what was currently unfolding in front of me.

"Stab me…", he said while pointing at the sword in my hand. It was as if he was telling me to kill him using Midnight Requiem.

'But… why?'

I can't fathom what this person wanted me to do but I know one thing that's for sure… he wasn't an enemy, or at least to me.

"Why?", can't he just give me any valid reason why? Or can't he just answer my questions normally?

But you know normal was the thing that my novel lacked. And I, as the author of this seemingly annoying work was almost at my wit's end that I ended up praying that maybe… just maybe a miracle would happen since the main scenario for the novel hasn't begun yet.

"To go back… stab me…", huh? Did he just answer my question right this time? He did, right?

He said to stab him in order to go back… but why do I need to do that?

Why do I feel something ominous will happen?

Is this really the right thing to do? Should I follow his order?

It took me a while before I could decide on what to do. I looked at the sword in my hand and then at the man in front of me. I carefully looked at his expression but that damned thing wore a perfectly made poker-faced.

Since I already decided that I wanted to get out of this place. I heeded the man's order. I unwrapped the cloth covering the sword, there I could see a pure black scabbard. The design was simple yet elegant.

I took the sword out, it looked light but it was actually quite heavy – having the same weight as an iron longsword.

Upon looking at the sword, it looked like it had a dull blade but after touching it you'll eventually find out that there was a certain sharpness hidden in it.

And as if on reflex, I put the sword back to its scabbard and held it with my left hand.

Seeing me move, the man in front started to smile – the very same smile plastered on his face the first we met in that abandoned city. And his eyes that were no longer hollowed was grinning cheerfully as if he finally found an oasis after walking for a long time in the middle of the scorching hot desert.

And as I was walking forward, the alarm bells on my head that were ringing loudly earlier rang out loud again as if telling me to not do what the man said.

As I was walking forward, the alarm bells on my head rang loudly again. This time, I think I am in a pretty dangerous situation.

'This feels very ominous. I already felt it this way after he told me to stab him… my guts were never wrong. This time's pretty dangerous. Then, what should I do?'

Should I just kill him with this? But that would be in his favor, right? Since he told me to stab him.

Or… should I just leave and vanish? Can I outrun this person?

"No!", I shouldn't be thinking of running away. Why do I have to run away? Even if I do that, will I ever be safe? Just looking at him right now could already make me cower in fear.

'Yes, I should kill him!', I steeled my heart as I found my resolve. Killing him was the only option. He told me to stab him using this sword, then I should just do it as exactly as he said.

When the man saw the resolve on my face his expression began to change. One moment ago he was grinning as if he was amused and relieved but now, his smile was cold as the north pole, and his eyes that were brimming earlier have now become a pair of emotionless eyes that look unto me with severe hostility.

I was taken aback after seeing his expression. He was the one who told me to stab him yet… what the hell is this?! Did he just say those words in order to entice me to make a decision and move then after that he could just kill me in an instant?

"Hahahahaha…", this fuck up shit!!! I didn't know what the hell I did do to receive such VIP treatment from the world.

If this was fate, then screw them!!

If I was destined to die, then they should have killed me already rather than making me suffer after dumping all of my hopes into nothing.

Just why?!! Just why do they need me to believe that I could have a go in this second life of mine?

I was almost at my wit's end. I don't know anymore what else I could do but I only knew one thing, 'I want to end this shit!!!!'

I was almost three steps closer to him. Then, I gripped the sword's hilt with my right hand to put me in a readied position. Then, I quickly pull out the sword and made a slash across his chest.

'I hit him!!', I said in my thoughts but, what I hit was only an illusion.

Huh? This… what could this possibly mean?

All this time, the person in front of me was only an illusion and even the surroundings too were an illusion.

"I can't believe this!", all of that was for naught? He was just an illusion created by this space, then why did I feel a bad omen at that moment?

Then all of a sudden, a huge earthquake came making cracks all over the place. And just like a mirror shattering, the pieces that made up this place were falling.

"You... are… free…", someone said behind me.

When I turned back, there I could see the shadow-like figure who guided me through the darkness. His eyes were still hollowed yet somehow they contain a certain degree of warmth.

"Hehehehe… it's your turn now…", another voice echoed and this time, it was from that man with silver hair.

Upon looking at both of them, I could clearly see that they resemble each other just like light and shadow. One basking under the warmth and one hiding under the shade.

"You…", when I saw the both of them smile, the words I wanted to say suddenly vanished. Their smile was enchanting to the point that it made me forget that they were the ones responsible for me being here.

"Goodbye…", they said in unison.

Then the space around us collapsed but before everything was destroyed, I heard the shadow-like figure mumble something.

"This… time… I… hope… it… ends…", then everything went dark and the last thing I remember were the faces of those two slowly vanishing away.