Ideals

Two men have changed the course of time itself; literally. But as their final chapter appears on the horizon, a new story is about to rise in its place...

One

   It all began-or ended?-here; an insignificant little speck in the universe, one that never truly existed.

   It was a place where time didn't flow.

   Look everywhere you can; there is no place that houses perfect balance of light and darkness-of good and evil- anywhere on the face of your planet. But in that endless white space, where the only sign of life was the fog that hung ominously above the floor, good and evil were perfectly balanced, and lived together in harmony.

   And the only things that pierced the space were two men, staring at each other with cold, unfeeling eyes.

   Their mere presence distorted time itself.

   "Time is set in stone." The Older of the two had the brim of his hat pulled low over his eyes. His jacket was the color of the sky, ripped apart by what looked like claws. His chestnut brown hair appeared as if the wind had blown it back and held it there. He stood with authority that well surpassed his age, and spoke with a voice both gentle and firm.

   "Its path is littered with the joy and suffering of countless souls. Time walks hand in hand with destiny; and since it is beyond our authority to change time, we cannot change destiny."

    His counterpart merely smirked, never one to miss a beat. He clapsed his hands behind his back and leaned forward, sky blue eyes dancing with mischeif, pale countanance glowing. His entire presence in that space seemed refreshing, almost...radiant.

    He peered at the other from underneath messy blonde bangs-which he only kept unbrushed to annoy his counterpart in immature gesture.

   The small smile ended at the shadow of a scar, which rested on his left cheek, below his eye. That one flaw marred his otherwise young face.

    Victory had become his, after all this time. His heart expected to swell with pride from defeating this long-time enemy of light.

    But he felt no joy, as if his heart had grown to refuse it. Well, good riddance, he thought. He wouldn't want things to feel the same way they once had, anyway.

    This was about change. It always had been.

    It has to be.

    "Then you're still trapped in your old way of thinking, just like I had expected. Look around, Legend," -he almost spat at the very mention of the title- "And accept your defeat."

    The one called Legend tipped back his hat and narrowed his eyes so that they were needle-thin, though his counterpart still caught the sparks that flew from his boundless brown eyes. Any normal man, he thought, would crumble under that gaze.

    But he himself was no ordinary man.

    "I would never give in to anyone," Legend began.

    "Especially not such a headstrong, time-confused fool."

    The younger laughed at what was meant to be a serious insult. Once again, his choice of appearace had been mocked; a long, black jacket wrapped around a light blue tunic which ran to his waist, and bore the mark of a wolf's head. It was completed with a pair of ripped jeans, leather gloves which didn't cover his palms, and silver, steel-toed shoes.

   The perfect symbol of unity, he thought. A pity that no one understood.

   "Look at yourself. I can't tell where- let alone when- you're from. How is anyone going to take you seriously?"

   "A little hypocritical, aren't we? You're the one who says that appearance is trivial, after all. But, I digress..." He sighed and stared at his feet.

   "You'll never understand anything I've ever worked for." He muttered under his breath.

   Legend didn't even blink at the assumption. He tugged at the jacket that failed to keep him warm and rubbed his pale hands on his jeans. Though their ages were practicaly the same, their mental age differed by centerius. He knew that he towered over his counterpart both in height and wisdom.

   "You can say whatever you want, try to persuade me however you can, but you'll never win."

   "And that's exactly what your problem is!"

   The following silence that hung in the void was deafening.

   "...Perhaps. But, as you well know, time has gotten the better of us. The rest of this lies in her hands."

   "'Her'?" The younger raised an eyebrow skeptically.

   "Didn't you mean to say, 'His'?"

   "I don't mis-speak."

   His counterpart's eyes shone with surprise, but he recovered quickly.

   "Then it looks like the odds are in my favor, huh? Granted, it seemed like a good idea the first time, but...you chose this sarcastic, arrogant, hot-tempered-"

   "-brave, quick-witted, determined, independent-"

   "-violent, ill-minded, demon of a girl? Guess countless failures have pushed you over the edge. Why, I ask, would you choose someone so...evil?"

   Legend tilted his hat back to get a good look at his enemy's face.

   "Because inside her is a strong light that will never be extinguished."

   "Her 'heart' is as dark as the new moon!" He shouted, suddenly enraged by the change of events.

   "Inside her rests nothing but chaos, rebellion, and selfishness, as she's already proven. She cares only for herself!"

   "Then what of the boy named Mark? You can't tell me that he means absolutely nothing to her, or that he's simply her partner in crime?"

   "...A small exception. The boy's heart craves only peace, and he will eventually abandon her from common sense. I don't see why you picked him, the obvious choice."

   For the first time, Legend broke eye-contact.

   "The brightest lights hide in the deepest darkness. This girl will be your greatest downfall."

   "This girl will be your biggest mistake. Why, in the name of all that is holy, would you ever pick her?"

   But he never waited for an answer, only vanished out of the void, crossing over into another gap in the universe.

   "...I knew it was her the moment I first saw her."

  Legend whispered to himself.

   "She made this tranquil place...without even knowing it. Her soul sought only peace. She won't succumb to the evil inside of her."

   With only a small doubt in his mind, he began to fade from the gap-the sanctuary- as his lips formed her name with a renewed sense of hope.

   "Riley..."

  

  

  

  

 

   

Author's Note

I've had this idea for a while. So, what do you think? Love it or hate it, review anyway, because I'll be clueless if you don't.
-L