Burning Bright | Keigo Takami x Male Reader

Chapter 26

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(M/N) sat next to Keigo on his balcony. The sun had long since disappeared and the stars shone down on them. The two had been sitting in comfortable silence for quite some time.

"Hey Keigo," (M/N) said.

Keigo turned to face him, his arms relaxed behind his head against the chair, feet kicked out. "Yeah?"

"What would happen if the Dark Star was destroyed?"

Keigo raised his eyebrows. "What brought that on?"

"Nothing really, I was just thinking, there must be millions of void monsters out there, how can we fight them all off?" (M/N) said.

"I've never really thought of it that way, but we just take things one step at a time," Keigo responded. "There have been many generations of Star Guardians, and I'm sure there will be plenty more. We only need to do the best we can now."

"I guess," (M/N) said.

"If you're worried, don't be. I'll always be there to protect you, princess," Keigo grinned. "Your knight in shining armour, or prince charming. Whichever you prefer."

(M/N) chuckled and shook his head. "You really are an idiot, you know that?"

"Well, this idiot got you to smile, so I'd say it was worth it," Keigo said.

(M/N)'s smile grew wider, and with as much sarcasm he could muster, he said, "My hero."

That smile disappeared when Keigo turned to dust, as well as the rest of his surroundings. The floor gave out and (M/N) fell into a strange dimension. He felt like he was sinking as flashes of memories passed by him. His memories. Of Keigo and the others. But they looked wrong. Corrupted.

He hit a cold surface. When he lifted himself, he saw it looked like a checkerboard. A spiralling void surrounding it. This had to be that monster's domain.

When he looked down at his reflection in the black and white tiled marble, the purple figure stared back at him. It's smile as twisted as ever. Then it was across the board in front of him. (M/N) stared at the strange figure- no, not strange. It was him, if he let darkness take over. Even knowing this, part of him felt drawn to it. He nearly reached out when it reached for him. But he quickly transformed into his Star Guardian outfit, fighting back those thoughts.

It's just a dream. It can't take me.

That's what (M/N) told himself, but after his experience with Toga in his unconscious state, he knew anything was possible. He couldn't take any chances.

The figure ran at him, reaching for him with its elongated claws. (M/N) blasted it back, sending sharp slices of light at it. It dodged the first few, but got hit by the last ones, getting cut into pieces. He watched in surprise as it crumbled. That seemed... easier than he expected.

He barely spotted the shadow speeding across the ground from where the figure crumbled, but not fast enough. Clawed purple hands sprouted from the ground and began pulling on him. He tried to get away but there were too many, pulling him into the ground. He tried to pull them off, but they just kept coming. His body began to sink into the floor, as if he was sinking into mud.

(M/N) began to panic as a bright light shone from above. Keigo appeared, flying down towards him. He extended his arm to (M/N) and (M/N) extended his back. Keigo was just out of reach. He looked down at the floor, seeing his reflection. It was the purple figure, it was also reaching out, but it was reaching for Toga.

(M/N) reached his arm higher, grazing Keigo's fingers. The purple figure did the same, but it seemed to be winning. (M/N) sunk deeper and deeper. His face submerged and-