Way of the Knights

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"...601, 602, 603, 604..."

The counting stopped. A stifled breathing could be heard. Drops of sweat and tears drenched the concrete ground as a lonely man chewed on his lips in order for his whimpers to not escape from his lips. 

He would rather die than to allow other people to witness his suffering. He can't bear to see their faces filled with pity if they saw him crying over something like this. 

The lonely man steeled his resolve. His gaze burned with righteous indignation as he pushed himself to continue with his exercise. 

"605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 700!!"

*Bam!*

The man's arm gave-in. He lied face down on the hard concrete. His breathing was erratic, his consciousness was dizzy as if he was about to pass out. He could feel his arms throbbing painfully. He wasn't sure if he even had the strength to get up from his position. 

Despite his fatigue though, he gnashed his teeth and got up from the ground. Gently patting away the dirt on his face and sweating body, he removed his vest and threw it beside him. 

*Boom!!*

The ground shook ever so slightly when the vest fell. Unexpectedly, that vest was incredibly heavy. Well, considering the fact that the vest was carrying thick blocks of solid Meteorite Ores in their pockets, of course it would be heavy. It's already considered as a miracle that the lonely man's body remained intact when he used it while exercising. 

Usually, the lonely man would stop here however, he had other matters to do today and it just so happens that it required him to be at the verge of losing consciousness. 

He got up, dragging his exhausted body into a hot basin filled with numerous ingredients. A thick medicinal scent assaulted his nose. The lonely man frowned in displeasure, he never really like this part...

Groaning as he took off his clothes, he dipped his body on the medicinal bath. All of him, except from his head, were submerged in water. A few minutes passed and the lonely man's body started steaming.

His face was red and his expression twisted in pain. He was suffering yet not even a sound escaped his lips. He endured, telling himself that he could do this, this pain is nothing, no pain no gain, etc. Anything to keep him going really. He had no other choice, in order to get the full benefits of this medicinal bath, he had to endure this pain. Even though the idea of just giving-up kept tempting him, he pressed-on. 

The lonely man was even putting-up with some delusional thoughts. He could hear whispers of familiar voices next to his ears, telling him that he had already done everything he could. They told him to let go, to rest, to give-up and just live a life of mediocrity. 

Such temptations were too enticing and the lonely man's heart was struggling to resist it. The only thing that kept him going, was his Will that's being tempered relentless as he fought this invisible battle. Nobody could understand his pain since there's nobody at all. 

For the sake of upholding his promise, he gritted his teeth and endured everything by himself. He promised. He vowed in their graves. He won't give-up no matter what. 

As the lonely man suffered from physical pain and mental demons, he was unaware that a silhouette manifested behind him. It was a silhouette of a tall and elegant man, long blue hair, crimson colored robes, other-worldly looks, this man would be considered as a god amongst men. This man was a stark opposite of the lonely man in all aspects. 

The god-like silhouette observed the lonely man closely. His face was expressionless but his eyes posses infinite wisdom. He had been watching this lonely man for quite some time now, quietly accompanying him throughout the suffering he experienced. The god just observed and did not interfere, he was merely an observer of this lonely man's life after all. 

The lonely man was unaware of the god that's observing him. He was unable to see him nor feel him but the god was there. The lonely man, wasn't so lonely after all. 

*Roar!!!*

The lonely man's eyes suddenly shot wide-open. As if energized, he jumped out of the basin and ran towards the nearby table. In that table, lies a huge black great sword. The man grabbed the handle of the sword as killing intent leaked out of his body. 

Not even bothering to put on any clothes, he kicked his door open and ran outside. There he saw gigantic creatures running towards him with crimson colored eyes and baleful auras. 

The man leapt from his yard, brandished his great sword and decapitated a giant ape. With a feral roar, he released his palpable animosity that didn't lose out to the baleful auras of the beasts that wanted nothing more than to tear him apart. 

Using the decapitated carcass as a platform, he jumped and shoved his huge sword on the mouth of a giant three-headed lion. A winged beast dove down and grabbed him by the beak. The lonely man let out a pained groan but his killing intent never faltered. Using his bare hand, he punched the beak of the bird. The force was strong enough to shatter the beak, allowing him to wiggle out of it. 

He then maneuvered his body and jumped off, grabbing the bird's wings in the process. With a guttural roar, he swung his big sword and sliced off the wing he was holding on, causing the bird to shriek in pain and fall from the sky. 

Using the wing as another foothold, the man surveyed the ground as he fell. Using the wing as a cover, he adjusted it's position so that it will fall on top of the giant rat. Before the wing fell on top of the rat, the lonely man shoved his sword onto the wing to accelerate the fall faster, borrowing the momentum of the fall to his advantage and piercing the giant rat's head. 

The giant rat shrieked in pain and twitched before it died. Unfortunately, the battle had just began...

The lonely man fought, despite being smaller that the beasts, his ferocity never even once lost out against them. He fought and fought until his body was caked in dried blood, some of it were his while most of it were from his enemies. 

The battle continued for hours, and by the time it was done, the man lay exhausted on the ground surrounded with torn and shredded bodies of the beasts he killed. 

He won, but his victory didn't bring him any happiness. If anything, it just made him feel empty. Only despair, endless longing and pain were left for him. Every breath he took, every second he remained alive, tortured him so. 

There's nobody left...

The lonely man opened his eyes, he looked at the empty skies as tears flowed from his eyes. He felt resigned, lonely and exhausted.

He can't continue on...he just can't anymore..

"H-hey..." 

The lonely man called out to nobody in particular. His voice was drowned out by a long silence. The silence didn't faze him though, he's used to it anyway. Right now, he's just taking chances since, he had nothing else to lose.

"Y-you're there right? I-I think I can feel you, but I don't know where you are..." the lonely man said, yet nobody answered him at all. 

However for some reason, he truly felt the presence of somebody. He can't see them, but he knew that they were there...

"You've been watching me right...how's it? My life I mean? Pathetic, right?" The lonely man laughed mirthlessly and was then followed by him coughing out blood. 

"I don't have much time left..."

He truly doesn't, he knew his body more than anyone else. The injuries he sustained were too fatal, the chances of him surviving from this were very low. 

"You feel familiar..." the lonely man uttered, "Very much so...I would even say that you're most likely me, but that would be too bizarre. I don't even know if that's possible."

"Whoever you are...I know you're listening to me. Thanks. At least I won't die alone, or maybe I'm just hallucinating...either way what I want to say is-"

*Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*

"You're loved-ones...protect them will all your might." The lonely man heaved as he uttered his last words. "Don't live like me...be strong. Protect them. Keep them close. Do everything you can...to...save...them..."

As the lonely man's eyes lost focus, the winds cried and the clouds mourned. 

Silently, a silhouette appeared next to him. A man with god-like creatures manifested into reality and closed the lonely man's eyes. There was a peaceful expression on his face, as he muttered...

"I heard you. I witnessed everything you went through. It's kind of hard not to do so when you're literally me in this Parallel World." Raven sighed. "Rest in peace, Vendrick Valorheart of the 101st Parallel World."

"Don't worry..." Raven muttered as his expression hardened with determination. "When I reach Singularity, you'll see them again." 

As soon as he said that, Raven vanished from the world, causing the time to stop indefinitely.