Aether : Calraem

Chapter 51: Flaws(3)

Damon realised.

[Draculla] was just a weapon; a sword. Why it shared a name with his brother, he wasn't sure.

But there was only one reason the weapon hurt him. It was because he allowed it.

It was because he was still Damon. He never died.

All of his actions, no matter how irrational - were still his actions as Damon. All that happened was that his heart became closed off to the world.

Even when he joined the Blackbeard Pirates. He never fought, and spent his days holed up in the darkness of his room or in the kitchen preparing a meal. Even though the sun didn't affect him, he still couldn't walk in the sunlight.

He couldn't believe himself to be capable of such an action.

Even now, only one aspect defines Damon.

Dependence.

When he couldn't handle the weight of protecting his brother - he depended on the Werewolf Princess.

When he couldn't handle the pain of being tortured - he depended on Draculla.

When he couldn't handle the weight of killing his brother - he depended on Blackbeard.

He was still the weak child who couldn't do anything by himself. Dependant on everyone for everything.

If that's the case, then it's fine. I'm tired.

At some point, instead of looking to escape from his fate, he allowed it to twist, manipulate and conform him. Now he was nothing but a shell of his former self.

Even the technique he supposedly mastered was something he was dependent on.

Ah.

Now that he looked closely, [Covenant of the Roses] wasn't as great as he imagined. Something about it was...flawed; it was still incomplete.

I'll just cancel the technique. I don't need it anymore.

He looked up at [Covenant of the Roses], but instead of looking right at it, he was looking past it. He saw a full moon gazing down on him.

Ba-dum!

Something jumped in his chest, clawing, scraping, fighting and roaring.

Ba-dum! Ba-dum! Ba-dum! Ba-dum! Ba-dum!

Instead of thinking about his mistakes, he realised it.

He realised his flaws.

"Foolish child," a voice scorned him. "Have you still not realised that depending on yourself is also an option?"

And with it, Damon 'Blood' Roses truly killed the person that he was.

*

"-!"

A shiver crawled up Samurai Sensei's spine that triggered an immediate reaction.

Without uttering a word or wasting a single movement, he leaped forward, grasping [Draculla] with both hands and aiming for the kill.

He moved so fast that air stilled for a second before dust trailed behind him.

His thinking wasn't keeping up with his movements, but instinctively, he knew.

Instinctively he knew that at all costs, he should prevent what was about to take place.

Just as he reached Damon, his sword was already in motion to slice him in half-