Why am I doing this? Even though I know that I will die?

Loganel dodged to the side as the Cleaver swung its heavy blade down on him with a vertical strike, cracking the stone floor and sending shards of rock flying in the air mixed with the dust. Then, with a swing of its strong arms, it knocked Loganel off of his feet and sent him flying through the air until he landed on the ground hard on his back. Loganel coughed up some blood and laid there, limp and deprived of life.

I need to get them a few more minutes, he repeated to himself in his mind.

With one hand on the ground as support, he forced himself up back on his feet and tightened his grip on the fractured sword of his. Even though the trembling has stopped, fear still restrained him. Even though he was ready to accept death, the pain still hurts.

Loganel readied his stance, and continued to struggle. He didn't want to die now, it was still too soon. Maybe a few more minutes and he won't care anymore, but not now. They had just left for a few minutes only. They need more time, and he is determined to earn those valuable seconds for them. Luckily, the other Kobolds had dispersed, forbidden by the Cleaver to engage in the combat and steal its prey, and had returned to their dwellings, leaving just the Cleaver and Loganel in the clearings of the town square.

This battle, the results had been determined before it had even began. It was a pointless fight, nothing but a last ditch effort to prolong death. But...it's for the greater good...If I don't stop him here, they will be in danger...I have to stall him. Just a few more minutes. Please, Loganel begged his body to cooperate. Please just hang in there for a few more minutes. Not too many. Just a few more. Then you will be free from this suffering. Please...please just cooperate with me one more time. Just ignore the pain and go on. It will all be over soon. Please just fight until you really can't go on anymore.

Loganel used his fractured blade to parry the Cleaver's giant rusty cleaver that came from the side. However, the force wasn't stopped by his fractured blade, but was transferred right through the cracked blade, down to the handle of the sword, into his wrist, and from there, into his whole body.

His arm hurts, his chest hurts, and he is tired. Just a little longer, he pushed himself.

With a quick swipe with his broken blade, he counter attacked the monster, driving his weapon deep into it, past the thick black fur it has and into its strong muscles. With a loud shout, he pushed with all his might as he forced his broken blade to penetrate deeper into the creature's thigh and deal it the most pain as possible in hopes that it would give up the chase for Azura and Juliana once Loganel dies.

The Cleaver, angered by the sudden pain, swiped at Loganel with its strong left arm, flinging him away from him and knocking him into the air. It them followed up with a arm hammer, smashing the airborne boy face first into the ground, cracking the floor as the boy made contact with the floor. The creature then let out a loud, authoritative howl announcing its dominance to the entire world beneath ground.

From the corner of its eye, the large Kobold saw movement from the bloody figure on the ground. It pushed itself up with its arms and slowly got back up. The Cleaver eyed the stubborn creature with hatred in its eyes as he witnessed his prey rise from the ground. It was confused as to why these monkey like creatures were so tough. He had came to face numerous of these hairless apes, and he know that they are challenging foes. However, this is the first time that he had seen such determination from that species.

Loganel spat out some blood from his mouth, and felt intense pain whenever he breathed.

Must've broken a rib, he thought and shrugged it off. Doesn't matter.

He grabbed his broken sword that is now missing the lower half of the blade, leaving behind only some splintered metal where it had snapped. However, Loganel stood his ground with this broken sword in hand. In his eyes, there were fatigue and a desire to give in. However, his body posture says otherwise. Even though he isn't able to stand with his head tall, he was still standing. Even though he was hunched over, he still stood. That was all that had mattered. He is still fighting, and had not given in.

"One more minute," he muttered to himself. "Just one last minute."

Sixty, fifty nine, fifty eight, fifty seven--

Why am I doing this? If I just give up now, the pain wouldn't be as severe. I would finally be able to sleep and rest. Why am I resisting?

--fifty six, fifty five--

What was the reason again? Who is this all for?

--fifty four, fifty three, fifty two, fifty one, fifty, forty nine, forty eight, forty seven--

Have to dodge that. Or else I'll be dead instantly.

--forty six, forty five, forty four, forty three, forty two, forty one, forty--

But isn't death what I want?

--thirty nine, thirty eight--

Isn't death the rest that I had wanted?

--thirty seven, thirty six, thirty five, thirty four, thirty three, thirty two, thirty one, thirty--

I remember now. This is all for Azura and Juliana. I have to buy them time to escape. Keep fighting. Dodge that attack, counter, and dodge again.

--twenty nine, twenty eight, twenty seven, twenty six--

As each second passed by, Loganel felt his strength deserting him, leaving him weaker and weaker. He felt cold from the loss of blood that was from the numerous wounds he had on his body that has blood gushing out with no signs of stopping.

--twenty five--

Loganel used the large Kobold's cleaver that had struck the ground as a platform and climbed onto it. Then, he scrambled up the monster's strong arm and onto its shoulders, clinging on no matter how hard the Cleaver tried to toss him off.

--twenty four, twenty three, twenty two, twenty one, twenty--

With a loud war cry, Loganel dug his broken sword into the Cleaver's muscular neck, jabbing repeatedly as he tried to penetrate the flesh. His attempts resulted in the a mush of flesh to appear as the broken blade repeatedly dug itself into the monster. In response, the Cleaver howled in pain and it grabbed at Loganel with its free hand and flung him on the ground before him, causing Loganel even more pain.

--nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen, fifteen--

A little bit more, Loganel tried to persuade himself, but he could feel his consciousness slipping away.

--fourteen...thirteen...--

It's over...This is the most I could do. I can't move anymore.

--twelve...eleven...ten...nine...eight--

As Loganel's world darkened around him, he could hear the Kobold walking away, possibly to give chase to Azura and Juliana.

I did my best, Loganel said to himself in his mind. Hopefully I got them enough time...I just realized that I didn't even have a chance to give Laurina and Redgilus my farewell...Oh well...Doesn't matter now.

--seven...six...five...four... --

Suddenly, Loganel's consciousness faded, and it was no longer the town square of the ruins of the ancient city of Ekeletas that appeared before him. It was a familiar but foreign environment. It was as if he had seen it in a dream...yes in the dream.

Loganel could faintly see the same man from his dreams sitting in a chair in front of a screen, typing something on the keyboard.The light from the screen illuminated the man, causing his skin to appear pale and gaunt. The man typed into the keyboard, and past those glasses that he wore and in his dry eyes, the screen reflected from it.

Who is this? Why does he feel so familiar?

Loganel looked around, and the surroundings initiated a tsunami of nostalgia within him.

Where am I?

He looked out of the large pane windows, and saw the most beautiful scenery he had saw in his whole life. Numerous tall buildings rose from the ground, and each was illuminated with light spilling out of the numerous windows. On the ground below, numerous metallic objects ran the road, with people walking on the sidewalk on the brightly lit streets. There were neon lights in some parts of the weird city before him along with large crowds of people out and about despite it being night time already.

Weird...I feel like I've forgotten something...something really important...something that I should never had forgotten...What is it though?

--three...--

What did I forget? Loganel began feeling a sense of irritation. He was angered by the fact that he had forgotten something and has now failed to recall any of it.

--two...--

What the hell did I forget? What was it? What?! Why can't I remember?

Loganel turned to face the young man who focused on the computer screen and typing on the keyboard.

"Who are you?"

"Why am I here?"

"Where am I?"

"Answer me!"

"Why won't you answer me?"

"Am I still alive?"

Loganel felt irritated and devastated at the same time. His existence was being denied despite the fact that he still exists. And in response to his shouts, the boy that sat in the office chair merely stretched his arms and continued working.

Loganel reached out to him with both hands, and realized that he could not touch or interfere with the young man.

A fire was suddenly lit within him. The anger had boiled to the max, leading to a combustion within him, creating a roaring fire. He was annoyed by the fact that he had forgotten something he had once viewed as important. In addition to that, his existence is now a question. His life is fading away, and not knowing what he had forgotten made it difficult for him to just accepted his death.

"I'll find a way out!"he shouted, masking the gentle humming of the computer that dominated the dark, dreary room.

Tears began forming in his eyes out of frustration and anger.

"You can't stop me! I'll find a way!" he cried, expressing his final struggle at life.

And slowly, the world around Loganel began to crumble with the computer being the last to vanish. Even until the end, Loganel's voice echoed throughout the crumbling world.

--one.