End of the Road
by Lady Sheira

Flashbacks in italics.

    I open my eyes and stare up a Lina
    "I've lost haven't I? Please tell me the truth Lina."
    I whispered, I had lost again. Every since my creation I have lost one way or another.

    I heard them talking over me. "How is he doing Eris?" Koppii heard someone with a deep voice with an almost raspy hint to it.
    "Fine Rezo-sama." I heard a woman murmur.
    "And how old it he Eris?"
    "Biologically he is a year and a half old. I had to keep him incubated that long so that he appeared to be the same age as you."
    "He's awake." Rezo said softly and I heard someone step next to him.
    "Rezo." The one named Eris murmured.
    "Yes." I whispered
    "Open your eyes." I open my eyes for the first time and stare up at a woman with short black hair and amber colored eyes. She gasps and backs away slightly.
    "What is it Eris?" I look up at the tall violet haired man dressed in red robes.
    "His eyes, they are mismatched, one of them is almost Mazuko looking." Eris murmured.

    Lina blinked her crimson eyes. "Yeah." She murmured.
    Such beautiful eyes. I think to myself

    "Interesting." Rezo murmured as he walked past Eris and towards me. "Look up me." he murmurs softly and I stare up at him.
    "You are me, do you understand?" I shake my head. "You are a exact copy of me. I am Akoushi Rezo, the Red Priest, and
you are now me." I felt the panic well within my stomach.
    No I don't want to be you, I want to be myself! I cry silently as the darkness enfolds me once more.

    "Why did I lose?" I whisper as I taste more blood fill my mouth. "Was it because I was just a koppii?" I cough weakly.

    I heard Eris softly crying and I walk over to her. In the year since my 'birth' I had become quite adept at walking with my eyes closed, I think that sometimes Eris doesn't even remember I can see... unlike Him. My lips curl back in a silent snarl, which is almost immediately replaced with a smile.
    "Eris what is the matter?" I murmured as kneel down next to her. Eris opens her tear-filled amber eyes.
    "Rezo-sama!?" she cried as she threw her arms around me, and I feel as if I have been stabbed through the heart. Have I come to look so much like Him that even my own creator can't tell the difference between Rezo and I. "You're alive, I thought you were dead. But you've come back to me." I stare at Eris in shock.
    "Eris it's me!" I cry and she looks up into my eyes, which were wide open in shock. I long to hold her, but she isn't holding me, she is holding Him.
    "I'm sorry, I... I just found out that Rezo-sama was killed by that Inverse brat!" Eris spit the name out. I stand up.
    "I am not Rezo." I murmur softly as I go to my rooms. I look at all the robes, all of His robes. I will never look like him again. I rip off the blood-red robes and toss them to the ground. I stay up late into the night designing my new clothing and by the time
dawn had come. I was wearing my new clothing. A blood-red surcoat over a loose fitting white tunic and pants fastened at the
waist with a wide belt. Next I design my stave, made of steel and deathly sleek. It looks a lot like His, but mine is a weapon of
a warrior, not a priest. I hear her knock at my door.
    "Rezo." Eris whispers as she opens and gasps at my new clothing. "What have you done?"
    "I am not Rezo, so why should I look like him?" I ask.
    "You are a copy." Eris murmurs.
    "Then call me Koppii, just don't call me Rezo." Eris glances down at her clothing.
    "You are right Koppii Rezo, I should change my clothing as well. After two hours, Eris stands before me in her new clothing. A tight, short dress with spiked shoulder pads.
    Gods, that is ugly. I think to myself. But no, I will prove to her and the entire world that I am not Him.

    No, you lost for a different reason." Lina blinks and looks away. "You couldn't see what cam before you. Or what was to
come after you.... Surpassed the original Rezo.

    Why? I wonder silently. Why must I be connected to this machine? I am better then Rezo! I mustn't be weak.
    "There Rezo-sama." Eris said cheerfully as she unhooks me. Since we had left the shelter of Rezo's lab, Eris had insisted on
calling me Rezo-sama and making me wears this ridiculous headband. I hear someone walked into the room.
    "Ahh you are Zangalus and Vrumagen?" Eris asked.
    "Yes." One said with a pleasant yet dead voice. "I am Vrumagen and this is Zangalus.
    "Why are we here again?" Zangalus asked.
    "I want you to capture these two people and post a reward for them in Sairaag." I hear coin rattle but I don't open my eyes,
now point in spoiling our fun.
    Soon. I promise myself. Soon I will surpass Rezo and get my revenge.

    I look around at Lina's friends. The young shrine maiden looks nearly in tears and the dumb blond swordsman is holding her.
The young princess simply stares at me, and Zelgadis, the Chimera is expressionless.
    "Yes I see." I whisper. "All I could ever see from the moment I was created was Rezo's back. I cursed him my creation for
making me a koppii of him. All I lived for was to surpass him, and that's why I never could. Please tell me one thing...." I close
my eyes yet a tear still trickles down my cheek, and I look at Lina. "What is it you see when you look into the future?"
 
    I laugh as I watched Sairaag burn to ashes. "That's what you get Lina Inverse!" I crow.
    "Rezo! What have you done?" Eris asked in horror as she stared at the destruction I had caused.
    "I am going to kill Lina Inverse Eris, even if it is the last thing I do." I laugh and Eris turns around.
    "We have to find Lina and her friends." she whispered. I follow wordlessly but behind her back, my lip curls in disdain. First
Lina Inverse, then her. I smile horribly, I can't wait
 
  Zelgadis walks forward and stands near Lina. "What do I see?" Lina winks jauntily. "I see a great big beautiful flower!" I smile slightly
    It's not fair! I almost had her!
 
    "You may have gotten away this time Lina....." I snarl at least I can take my anger out on her friends. And Flagoon, Vanafyr
calls for your life. I begin to blast the tree and Lina's companions.
    "Is that all you've got?" I sneer.
    "Rezo!" I turn around and see Lina standing there and smirk at last! Even with all of them attacking me at once, it's not enough! I'm more powerful then them. I laugh, I have surpassed Rezo! I have..... I gasp as Lina's sword runs through my body pinning me to the tree.
 
    Zel kneels down next to me.
    "What name should we put on your gravestone?" he asks softly.

    No I scream mentally. I have to surpass Rezo, no I have surpassed him! No I.... the Shrine Maiden casts high powered
healing spell and I feel Vanafyr leave my body, suck me dry and I fall to the ground. And suddenly i understand. Of course, I
figure it out now that I am at the end of the road, the end of my life.. "What name should we put on your gravestone?" I look up
at Zelgadis.

    "Please, I want no gravestone. But if possible, I'd like to be buried beneath Falgoon." I close my eyes as the darkness comes
for me. "This great tree shall be my mon...ument." I breathe, and then I knew no more.



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