Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
___
He gave up… he could not pass his tests of strength. Not even to save his kingdom, of which he loved so dearly. He had felt these emotions before. More than once.
The king of shadows raised his blade to the young knights neck. The young knight flinched at the feeling of cold metal. It felt as if sharp cold ice was pressing against his neck.
"You have failed…" the king said without emotion, and unsheathed his sword with his dark magic.
The young knight looked away. More than once had he heard those words coming out as if to suffocate him. It was sharper than any sword or knife in the world.
"Not only have you failed yourself…but your kingdom as well..." The king studied the young knight. He had passed many tests. He honestly knew the knight would not be able to complete them.Yet he let him have a chance. He was only one out of thousands that had made it here, in front of him.
"Just do it already…" tears began pouring out of the young knight's eyes. He had let everyone down, his family, his friends, and his queen. He surely was going to die here.
So why did he feel the blade move away?
He looked up at the king about to question him, when suddenly he did not feel his body but instead a sharp pain to his neck. He tried to cry out but all that came out of his mouth was blood. He saw the floor and darkness consumed his vision.
"He was just one…out of thousands that he had killed…" the king of darkness looked at the beheaded corpse, still leaking the red liquid. It was a clean cut. He sheathed his sword with his dark magic.
The king did not kill him because he had to. The knight was broken, and was not a threat.
He did it because he felt sympathy for him.
He felt sympathy for the coward that was treated so horribly throughout his life. Never meeting the standards that others had expected, and had tried to end his life multiple times.
He wanted to give the coward something that no other had given him.
He gave him a chance.