As the darkness cleared, Alex saw the pitch-dark void he stood upon, the perfect silence reminiscent of the empty void, broken only by the sound of a hammer striking steel.
Alex saw the source of the sound, a dark anvil that sat atop the abyss like an immovable pillar of darkness forged from the same inky void surrounding it.
Its surface was even and smooth, etched with ancient runes that shifted and swirled, their forms ever-changing, flickering between shades of gray and black.
The hammer in Dark's hand was similarly forged from the same archaic runes that danced across the anvil.
The blade beneath the hammer was a thing of beauty. It was sleek and long, perhaps seventy to eighty inches in length, and its surface was narrow, its edges glimmering with deadly precision, promising swift, merciless destruction.
The sword was pitch dark, made to kill, for combat that demanded power and elegance in equal measure. Its dual-edged form shimmered with runes, the same dark, twisting symbols that covered the hammer and anvil.
Each rune flickered, shifting between shades of dark gray, ashen white, and pure, inky black. Some were so dark they seemed to swallow the light, others a pale, misty white that reminded Alex of the chaos element, a force of nature, untamable and wild.
The hilt was long, cylindrical in shape, built for both hands, and where the guard should have been, there floated a perfect orb. The orb wasn't connected by any physical means, instead hovering between the hilt and the blade, spinning slowly, ominously, as though unseen forces were at play.
Thin metal strands connected the blade to the handle, appearing very fragile—almost too delicate to hold the two pieces together.
Dark raised the hammer again, his movements organized and precise, and with each swing, the blade sang as it was struck, the runes across its surface glowing brighter with each blow, resonating with a rhythm.
Alex realized the blade was similar to the one he had seen in his last memory trip, yet also very different.
The former had the appearance of a silent giant, ready to crush and erase its foes with overwhelming force, while the latter gave off the feeling of a cold, ravenous beast, one that would leave a trail of carnage in its wake, precise, lethal, and unrelenting.
'What happened? Why am I experiencing his memories again?' Alex asked, breaking free from his momentary daze.
'Did something go wrong? Did I fail the trial and forget what happened, and this is the aftermath, or is this trial?' Alex thought, racing through the possibilities.
Alex questioned if this dream was because of his trial, that has turned one of his fear into an illusion, so without a moment delay, he tried to sense his soul aiming to slit his consciousness until he blacked out or broke free, but he quickly realized he could not even sense his soul.
It was at this moment that Dark stopped hammering the blade and looked up, giving Alex the chance to see their surrounding, and what he saw shocked him to the core once more.
"You don't believe in suicide. you always say it's a betrayal of our creator, a coward's escape, something even worse than the gravest of sins." Cosmorian said, clearly trying to suppress his voice.
"Calm down. I am not dying, well at least not by some cowardly suicide," Dark replied, denying yet also confirming the accusation.
"I am entering the Cosmic Fringe to see if I can go past the empty void and reach the greater Universe,"
"If destiny is on my side, I will survive, and the dreadful void will not be my grave, but if it isn't, then death will be my final destination," Dark said, his voice cold and emotionless yet betraying a faint undercurrent of acceptance, as if he had long made peace with whatever fate awaited him.
"I am a king just in name, and for the last three centuries, you have been overseeing everything and doing a great job, so if I leave now, the clans and empires will not revolt against your rulership," Dark said, now sounding a bit brighter.
"Does Sera know about your decision?" Cosmorian asked, his tone probing, as though hoping that if she didn't, there might still be a chance to change Dark's mind.
"I do, and I am happy for my brother," A calm voice echoed as a female figure appeared. The table shifted, extending into a triangular shape, with her side taking on the appearance of swirling shadows, the same as the chaos she wielded.
Cosmorian shifted his gaze between the two, wanting to speak but unable to find the words, knowing it would lead nowhere. After a few tense seconds, he exhaled, shaking his head in quiet disapproval and though he disagreed with what Dark intended to do, he reluctantly accepted that pushing any further would be futile.
'So, She is pregnant, and by the looks of it, she is trying to hide it, at least, doing her best,' Dark thought, his voice softened, laced with an almost imperceptible sorrow.
'I wish I could hold your child in my arms, give him or her the love of an uncle, but even if I stayed for a few more centuries, I would still have to leave,'
'I can not stay. I can't cause you any more pain, and it pleases me to no end to know that you will have someone to help with your sorrow,' Dark thought, his voice tinged with quiet resignation.
As Alex heard his thought, he could feel the weight of his guilt pressing down like a crushing force, causing a quiet torment that simmered beneath the surface, barely held back by Dark's calm demeanor.
His words carried the regret of a man who longed to stay but knew his presence could only bring further suffering, knowing he would not change his decision.
"Sera, my dear little sister, this is my parting gift to you," Dark said, revealing the blade he had been forging.
The sword was now complete, hidden with a sheath of clear crystalline surface that seemed to hold within the element of chaos, as swirling clouds of mist in various dark shades flowed within it.
Alex felt his visitation turning dark as he reflected on how everything had spiraled downhill for Dark. His once-trusted friend had turned against him, seeking his life, and the sister he loved more than anyone ultimately became the reason for his surrender.