Let's Fight For A Last Time

Evening, at the valley in Groacia's eastern border:

Both Eidrin and Romero charged against each other.
Eidrin proceeded to punch Romero, but Romero dodged it and tried to kick Eidrin, yet Eidrin also dodged it. They both managed to land a punch on each other’s faces: Romero hit Eidrin’s nose, while Eidrin struck Romero’s jaw. Blood came out from Eidrin’s nose, but he wiped it away and smirked. Romero spat blood casually and continued the fight.

They hadn’t been this serious even against their enemies, but now they were fighting with their full power out of respect for one another, so each could give the other a true challenge.

Romero then delivered three consecutive punches at Eidrin one on his shoulder, another on his chest, and the last one under his jaw, thanks to his incredible speed. Eidrin reacted quickly and landed a powerful punch on Romero’s ribs, sending him flying into the ground.
Romero stood up, coughing and vomiting blood.

Eidrin: "Hey are you okay?"
Romero: "Yes I am."

Romero then rushed forward and punched Eidrin hard on the right side of his jaw, causing blood to gush from Eidrin’s mouth.

Eidrin (coughing blood): "That was impressive."

They stared at each other again. Both of their eyes glowed before they charged once more. This time, they unleashed the full power of their Warrior Madness, moving so fast that normal human eyes couldn’t follow them. Their punches created violent energy waves, shaking the entire valley.

Lucaris: "No! I can’t even breathe now! I think both of them are going to kill each other. I think it isn't wise to stay here for long. If I stay here, I will also die with them! I need to escape."

Lucaris ran away in terror after witnessing Eidrin and Romero’s true power.

Romero jumped up and smashed Eidrin onto the top of a hill, but Eidrin resisted and slammed Romero into the ground. Neither of them was ready to give up. Both stood again and charged, their fists colliding to create a blinding white explosion of energy.
Still, the fight continued.

Eidrin: "Am not going to lose to you, Romero!"
Romero: "Neither me to you, Eidrin!"

They both smiled, laughed like maniacs, and charged again — fighting like they were enjoying every moment of it.

It was almost nightfall.

Romero: "Eidrin, let's end this fight as soon as possible."
Eidrin: "Okay."

They both prepared for a final strike, charging their bodies with energy until they glowed intensely with the full power of Warrior Madness. Then, they rushed at each other one last time.
Eidrin punched Romero’s left shoulder, and Romero struck Eidrin’s left shoulder simultaneously. Neither moved backward they pushed against each other, holding their ground. Both placed their left hands on each other’s right shoulders and continued to push. A blinding white beam of energy burst out between them, cracking the ground beneath their feet.

They stared at each other for the last time.
Tears flowed from Romero’s eyes, though he was smiling. Eidrin smiled too he wanted to cry, but he held back. The last time he cried was when he was separated from his brothers, and he hadn’t cried ever since.

They both felt that only one of them might live after this fight — or that both might die  but neither stopped.
A powerful shockwave sent them flying in opposite directions, but both managed to land on their feet and charged again for one final clash. Their fists met, and a massive explosion of energy erupted, brighter and stronger than before — ending the fight.

When the light faded, the weather became calm again. The pressure in the atmosphere returned to normal.
Both Eidrin and Romero were lying on the cracked ground, barely conscious.

Slowly, Romero stood up. Weakened, he struggled to walk toward Eidrin, who was still lying down.

Romero: "Eidrin, I know it isn't over yet and you can still fight."
Romero grabbed Eidrin’s arm and helped him stand.

Eidrin: "No I can't fight anymore. I agree, I lost."

Romero still wanted to fight, thinking it wasn’t over yet. He punched Eidrin again, and Eidrin fell back down. Romero too collapsed beside him.

Romero: "No, I also lost. This time, it was a draw."

Both of them lay on the ground, weak and helpless. There was no victor  both were winners and losers. They tried to heal themselves using their Warrior Madness.

Eidrin: "So the fate didn’t want us to die this early."
Romero: "Yeah. You always tells that you have some goals to complete? Maybe fate wants you to complete it."
Eidrin: "Yeah."
Romero: "Eidrin, you wasn’t the first best friend I got but, you along with Alexander is my current and most important best friends ever for me. You was the one who is most closest person to me in my entire life."
Eidrin: "Yeah, same in my case. But you are the first friend I ever got and you and Alexander are my only best friends ever and you are the closest person to me till now."

They fell silent for a moment.

Romero: "So did you decided? Returning with me to Francia or not?"
Eidrin: "Yeah, I have decided and the decision is... No!"
Romero (laughing): "Yeah fine... But I guess I have no strength left to stop you now."
Eidrin: "Yeah. But I guess... staying in Groacia was actually a bad idea. It caused a probability for Alexander considering me as an enemy."
Romero: "Yeah, this was what I am tries to say you from the beginning, now you understood it by yourself. So where are you going now?"
Eidrin: "No I have decided that I am not staying in Francia nor at Groacia. I am not siding with anyone. I have decided to roam across nations, like we did before meeting Alexander. I am going to prepare for my goals and future fights, also going to make allies all over the world and help people across the nations as far as I can."
Romero: "That’s nice. I also want to come with you if you really going for a journey but.... I have many duties to do and if you want to gain experience, you need to go alone so I am not interfering or depending you anymore from now."
Eidrin: "Yeah me too. I am not depending you anymore from now too."
Romero: "Eidrin, if you are not siding with anyone, I am not going to do that too. I am going to stay individual from now, other than staying with Alexander."
Eidrin: "But.... Alexander will struggle without us!"
Romero: "I know but.... don’t you think he also need to be independent? He was depending us for this all time and now he is a king so he need to be powerful by his own. We will always be there if he ever needed our help aren’t we? You are the one who always told to me that I need be responsible about my family more aren’t you? I am now decided to stay with my family for a while."
Eidrin (smiling): "That’s good.... but am so concerned about Alexander and Merlin. I wish they could make it better too when I am not around here. And you too, take care of yourself. Remember that I would be not around if you got in any touble. You are too much fun loving so fix that okay?"
Romero (smiling): "Okay, I understood. Take care of yourself too, my friend. Remember that I wouldn't be there with you too from now to give you advise when you fall in a trouble so please manage to not to fell in any trouble."
Eidrin: "I understood."

They both stood, said farewell to each other, and split up once again — for the last time.

Next day, morning — at the gate of the palace in Groacia:

Eidrin was preparing to set out on his journey. Merlin came to say goodbye to his brother.

Merlin: "Big brother, so... are you sure? You are really going?"
Eidrin: "Yeah, but I will be always there if you ever need my help."
Merlin: "Yeah, I know how much you care about me. Take care."
Eidrin: "Yeah, but before I go, please promise me that you will never attack Alexander unless he attacks you."
Merlin: "........Okay fine, I promise."
Eidrin: "Thanks. See you again, farewell, my dear brother."
Merlin: "Farewell......."

Eidrin then left. Merlin said goodbye, smiling but with tears in his eyes. Slowly, Eidrin disappeared from his sight.
Lucaris watched from his balcony.

Lucaris (to himself): "So Eidrin left. Eidrin, and that Romero... They are insanely powerful. Too much powerful than a human can ever be. I didn’t expect them to be that much powerful. One day, I will also get powerful as them. I don’t know how but I will, at any cost!"

As Eidrin passed through the forest of Groacia, man in a red cloak was watching from the top of a tree.

Man in red cloak (to himself): "Eidrin, we will meet again."

One week later, midnight — Palace of Francia, Alexander's room:

Alexander was still awake even though it was almost midnight. He was deep in thought when he suddenly sensed someone’s presence.

Alexander: "Eidrin, I know you are here. Come out."
Eidrin: "So you find me, impressive."
Alexander: "Yeah. I have been with you for years. I can easily sense your presence even though I lack special powers like you. Anyway, why are you here at this time? You are the one who said that you are not returning here to Romero?"
Eidrin: "Yeah. I am not here to stay but to talk to you for a while."
Alexander: "What?"
Eidrin: "You know? I now understood that serving in Groacian army for some months was a mistake. I did it only to protect my brother, not to oppose you. You need to understand that."
Alexander: "Okay, I can understand....."
Eidrin: "I am now really going for a journey like I planned. Am not going to siding any of the nations. But before that, you need to promise me one thing in the name of our friendship."
Alexander (confused): "What?"
Eidrin: "Promise me that you will never attack Merlin unless he attacks you."
Alexander: ".........Okay, I agree."
Eidrin: "Okay, now let me go."
Alexander: "But, where are you going this time?"
Eidrin: "Don't know but is going to be a long journey, I guess."
Alexander: "Okay, take care."

Alexander actually wanted to cry and hug Eidrin but held back his tears, maintaining a proud expression to hide his feelings.

Eidrin left.

Eidrin (thought): "No, I really don't have idea where to go, but this time, I am not going to stop in the midway. I need to get much more powerful so I can oppose the Dark Emperor and take my revenge. For that, I need to assemble lots of allies who can help me to face the Dark Emperor."

Eidrin continued his journey.
He realized that he should experience a new life from now on. He didn’t know what awaited him — but he was ready to face anything and everything.
New journeys and experiences awaited.

Next morning, Palace of Francia:

Romero had returned from Groacia after his fight with Eidrin. It took him one week to reach Francia.
He was going to meet Alexander but saw Alexia standing on the balcony and approached her.
Alexia turned and saw Romero.

Alexia (hopefully): "Hey Romero, you returned. Did Eidrin returned with you?"
Romero: "Princess, I don't know how to say it but..... no, he didn’t return."
Alexia (sad): "I see.... and there is also many cuts in your body. You two fought isn’t it?"
Romero: "Yeah, but don’t care about that. We always used to fight like this so this isn't a big deal."
Alexia: "Hmm.... So he isn’t gonna return......"
Romero: "Yeah but I want to tell you that if you truly loves him, keep loving him and never ever give up. I am sure that he will fall for you one day. I know him better than anyone. He can't avoid his loving ones for so long even if he wants to."
Alexia: "Thank you for your support. I will love him till the end and not gonna love any other man in my life, other than him."
Romero: "Okay."

Romero then went to Alexander’s room. Alexander was heading to court at that time.

Alexander: "Oh, Romero, you have returned."
Romero: "Yeah and I failed the mission that you gave to me. I was unable to bring Eidrin back."
Alexander: "I know. He visited me last night. He said he is going for a long journey."
Romero: "So he told you everything. Please forgive me, I was unable to complete the mission."
Alexander: "Hey, don't need to apologize. I think maybe I was wrong. I am not the one who decides where you two need to stand and...... I was very dependent on you two...."
Romero: "Hey, that isn't a big problem Xander. Anyway, I am here to talk to you something."
Alexander: "What?"
Romero: "Eidrin told me that he have some goals to complete so he is going for that and he gone for it. Now I think I too need to focus on myself more. I only had one goal — to become a great warrior. I am still not the most powerful but I am sure that am a good warrior. Your goals only succeeds if it is able to satisfy you and I am satisfied of my own skill so I can say that goal of mine is completed but..... I left my family in a young age. After becoming a warrior, I did return to them but I didn't got enough time to stay with them. I put all my responsibilities into my brother’s shoulder. Now I don't think that all were right so I think I need to stay with my family for a while."
Alexander (emotional): "So... you are going too..."
Romero: "Don't think that I am abandoning you. You have your duties and I have mine. We both need to do that. I am sure you can be a good ruler even without me and Eidrin. Just focus on yourself and duties. Don't be irresponsible and I will be always there if you ever need my help. Just call me whenever you need my help. Please allow me go, my king ."

Romero bowed in front of Alexander.
Alexander grabbed Romero's shoulder and lifted him up.

Alexander: "Hey, you don’t need to do that all. I understood, you have your own duties and am not stopping you. You can go. I will also tries to become a good ruler in both of your absence. Take care, my friend."
Romero: "Yeah."

A tear fell from Alexander’s eye. Both of them hugged, but shortly after, Romero stepped back — remembering that Alexander was now a king.
Then Romero left.

After Romero was gone, Alexander grew angry and sad at once. He punched the wall in frustration.

Alexander (angry and sad): "No..... Now I have lost both of my friends from my side. What will I do now? Did I got weaker? Will I be a bad king? A weak king? No I can't even think about that all...... It is all because of that Merlin. His sudden arrival created the rift between me and my friends. Still, I can't attack him because I have now promised to Eidrin. But still, I will never gonna leave him alright........"

Suddenly, a deep, majestic voice echoed through the room.

??? (unknown voice): "So you have lost both of your friends. Don’t worry, don’t care about it. If no one is there, I am here for you."
Alexander (panicked): "Hey, who is that? Come out now!"
???: "How can I come out if I am not there at this time? Listen, Alexander, King of Francia — bow to me and stay by my side. As long as you are loyal to me, I will gift you power beyond your imagination."
Alexander (surprised): "But first, tell me who you are."

Suddenly, the scene shifted to a dark, grand hall. A massive throne stood in the center.
A man sat upon it — his face and body hidden in the shadows.

???: "Who am I? I am known by many names. Luis Matrix, Marco, Marcos... I have many names. But I like to call myself ‘Marcus Luis Lucian Matrix’. Yet I don’t know why, people call me by another name. They call me... The Dark Emperor.
Together... let’s start an Emperor Showdown."

Season 1 Ends

To be continued...