After two long years of preparing to return to the nether, they were finally ready. While the main objective was to stop the shadow knight army, one man had another thing on his mind.
In walks an unknown figure into one of the homes of the village. "I just told Dante where we're going, and he said he'd stay here to protect the village again." The mysterious voice paused for a moment and then sighed. "Garroth...? Are you listening to me?" The man turns around as his beach blonde curls fall against his shoulders. He replies in a soft tone. "Ah...I'm sorry, Aphmau. I was thinking of something, but yes, I was listening. If you and the others are ready, so am I." The two exit the house together and make their way to the edge of the town. Upon arrival at the border, the pair are met by two more guard figures. "Is everything ready? Remember, everything HAS to be prepared." Garroth barks out almost like an order of sorts. The two men nod at this as they begin to open the portal. "Are you sure you can handle this..? I know you're still struggling to deal with the fact that Laur-" Before Aphmau can finish her sentence, Garroth interrupts her. "Enough.. Just enough."
His voice is soft but also twinged with guilt. A long silence follows as the four enter the now-open gateway. The nether was a dark and massive death trap. One wrong move, and you'd meet your demise. Unless you're a shadow knight, of course. As the group travels further into what's basically the underworld, they are met with many challenges to get to the heart of this cruel place. Along the way, the group is spotted by a couple patrolling shadow knights. The groups quickly get into combat. Sadly, they do lose one of the fellow guards they brought along, and despite the protests of Aphmau and the other guard, Garroth continues marching forward. He came for one reason and will either leave with that goal accomplished...or he will die here. He moves on his own, his pace determined, quickly leaving the other two behind. "Everything's ready my ass..." He utters under his heavy breath. As he approaches the castle, he's stopped in his tracks by a booming voice. "Leave or you shall suffer a slow, painful fate!" The voice was so loud that it made Garroth disoriented. The figure steps out, standing at a full 6'8ft. It was the army general, Gene. "I'm not here for you...just tell me where he is...is he even alive still?" Garroth tries to sound cold, but his voice is hiding underlying misery. "Heh, so worried about that whiny brat, huh? even after all this time." The knight's laugh echoed. Garroth stands before him and can't stop the flood of memories. The memories of the man who's his other half. "I don't care if it's been six years. I won't give up on him." He speaks with unmasked anger and remorse. Drawing his sword, he keeps speaking, "I WILL find him; you can't stop me. I know he's here." The two engage in rough combat for a long time. Garroth knows Gene beats him in strength any day, especially since he's near immortal. He repeats over and over in his head, "I don't have to be stronger; I just have to outlast him...have more endurance." He can't go on much longer, and he knows that, but he's not ready to give in yet. The shadow knight is too fast and too strong..their swords continue to beat against one another. Until Garroths sword breaks into halves. He stares up at the army general, a man he once knew as the older brother of a best friend..is this where he's determined to meet his end? At the hands of someone he once knew? He can't fight much more; his human hands are useless against the demon that's pushing his blade against his neck. Everything starts to blur out as he gasps for breath. "Foolish humans. Your emotions will always be your downfall." Gene's voice blares again. Garroth starts to think that maybe, just maybe, he's right. Tears begin to fall from his blue eyes as he closes them. He whispers soft prayers to Irene—prayers that his time hasn't run out. Not yet, not until he finds Laurence. Perhaps Irene heard his prayers, as in a moment he could breathe again. He can breathe again?!? He opens his eyes in shock as he feels the limp body of the shadow knight against his chest. "Wha..how?" He asks aloud before finally looking up. There stands Aphmau, sword in hand. With shaky breath, she looks at Garroth and mutters, "Go..go find him." Without words, he forces his trembling body to move. He runs through the castle, falling against the walls every now and again. His vision is still a little blurred as he tries to make out the hallways. After checking room and room again, he enters the last room of the hallway. He can barely recognize what or who he sees. As he moves closer to the table in the room, he knows who it is; he just can't believe his eyes. "Laurence?" Garroth reaches out to touch his arm. "Please be alive." He whispers, but he's not too hopeful. He's battered and bruised, cut and scraped; he's bleeding from well, almost everywhere. A tiny groan escapes the younger boy's mouth. "Who's there..?" Laurence asks in a bit of fear, the shadow knights haven't exactly been kind in their torturing. "It's me, it's Garroth..remember me?" He gives the boy a look-over. He's honestly unsure how he's still alive at this point. He looks in bad shape; even his long ginger hair is matted with his own blood. Laurence's lips begin to quiver as he reaches out into the air, feeling around for the older boy. "G-Garroth I can't.. I can't see. Everything's so dark. Garroth, please, everything hurts." He whines in pain as he tries to move. "Stop! Stop moving..I-I uh..Shh, I got you."
The blonde boy notices the panic coming from the other, so he gently leans down and connects their lips. Just like old times. It's rather passionate, Laurence's shaky hands finding a way to his boyfriend's hair. His lips feel so cold..that can't be good. Garroth pulls their lips apart with haste and wide eyes. "Hey, baby..stay with me, please. Oh, Irene please.." He mumbles with a shaky voice. The boy looks so weak, he closes his eyes. "Hey, hey come on now! I finally found you..you can't leave me now. I know it's my fault." Tears begin to flood Garroth's eyes as he looks at the body of his barely breathing lover. "I know they took you because you got in the way..because you saved me, it was supposed to be me damnit." He's crying fully and he sounds so full of remorse. It was meant to be him that day, his brother was after him, not his love. "J-just let me go...let me go Garroth..I don't want..to live like this. Never able to see you or anyone again. I'm in so so much pain.., please." Laurence manages to mutter out, it's so weak it's barely heard. He takes a few breaths before resuming, "I-I want to live and not just survive...I can't do that in my condition..not after what they did to me.." His voice is fading quieter and quieter. Garroth pulls him into his arms and holds him close as he strokes his matted hair. "No..no..no..no..you can't leave me, please." His brain doesn't fully comprehend what he's feeling until a few slow silent moments pass. He looks down, he's holding the cold, lifeless body of his lover of the past ten years..he just stares before he finally breaks. He cries and screams, his body shaking violently. "Laurence, baby, please wake up. come on..no...no..no." He was too late..just a little too late. He curses himself over and over for waiting so damn long to come back. Garroth lies there with Laurence's body. He promised himself he was only going home with him alive or there was no point. He lies there next to his lover, just holding him close, stroking his hair, and holding his hand until he's too weak too. Hours pass and eventually turn into days. Eventually, Garroth becomes too weak to barely keep his eyes open, he hasn't eaten or drank in days. He knows as well as anyone else would, his time is running out. Whether it was his fate to end up dying this way, or his own selfish desire, he was unsure and honestly too jaded to think about it. Time started passing more slowly as Garroth began to feel the chilling touch of what was his soon-to-be-sealed end. He takes the last of his strength to pull Laurence a little closer and hold his hand a little tighter. For the first time in years..he actually feels at peace. He knows it's weird, but soon he'll get to be with the only person he's ever truly cared for, forever. He pictures the family, the house, and the future he always wanted with Laurence. Now he's never going to get it. For some reason Garroth's at peace with this. He spent years planning the way he wanted their wedding to go, but now it'll never happen. He speaks one last piece of his mind, "Hopefully they'll bury us together." With another breath his eyes close..and shortly after he falls limp beside his never-to-be husband.
