The End of the Beginning

Prologue
Heartbreak

\"You- You\'ve been lying to me all of this time?\" questioned Lira as she stared up at the man she loved with tears in her brown eyes. \"I trusted you, and this is how you return that trust?

\"No, Lira, you don\'t understand. I never meant to hurt you. I was going to ask you to join me by my side,\" stated Matthias as he walked up to her.

\"Get away from me!\" cried out the black haired girl as she swung out wildly at him, her left fist connecting soundly with his jaw. She hissed in pain at the pain that ripped up her arm from the solidity of impact. She Her eyes closed in pain, and she softly muttered, \"Fuck!\"

Matthias almost reflexively reached out to her, but froze when he saw the glare in his love\'s eyes. He stood back and forced himself to force back both the emotional and physical pain he felt. He clenched his fist and glared at the girl who had struck him with more force than she could possibly use by her appearance.

\"So you would dare to turn against me? The man who offered you not only a kingdom, but a world? The man who loved you despite knowing how utterly destructive you are? Wll then, my dear, perhaps it is time that you learn the consequences of your actions. Perhaps it is time that you learn the payments for such crimes,\" he told her as he drew his sword from its sheathe.

Instead of seeing fear flood the features of the young woman, Matthias almost felt the sadness, self loathing, and a seeming sense of duty come over her. Her face then hardended to an almost stone cold appearance as she looked up at him.

\"You know who you are incredibly well, my love, but it is sad that you never even noticed who I was... Or did you and think that perhaps you could use my secret to your advantage?\" she said as she walked up to him and placed a hand on his chest, her eyes never leaving his.

A moment later, Matthias felt a sudden surge of energy rip forward into him, slamming into his chest, forcing him back into a wall. The breath erupted from his lips, and he coughed for a few minutes as he looked up at the young woman before him.

He growled softly before rising to his feet and charging at her, his eyes aflame and his sword swinging towards her neck. Just as his blade was about to touch the skin of her neck, Lira bent backwards and flattened out, causing the weapon to slice the air over her. She straightened back up and punched out in front of her with her right hand, expecting him to dodge, but she didn\'t expect him to dodge the second strike she had sent out with her left.

Matthias grabbed her wrist with his left hand and pulled her against him with her back pressed against his chest. The man grabbed her right wrist and wrapped her arms around her. He then slowly lowered his head so that his lips were right next to her ear as he whispered, \"So you honestly thought that you could defeat me? The woman I loved long ago thought she could kill me by using all of her energy into the same kind of attack, and while she did hurt me, she did not lessen my love for her. That was why I was so glad when I found you. I knew exactly who you were when I saw you. I could never forget the presence that she had, and the way that my blood boiled by just the energy she gave off. You should know that by now, Lira.\"

She scoffed. \"Wow, you are seriously bipolar. You go from hating me to saying that you love me? Matthias, that isn\'t love... What you are feeling is serious sexuality issues mainly spurring from a lack of getting some in your life. I\'m glad I know why you were constantly trying to get into my pants... I just never knew that your psychology could be so screwed over.\"

Matthias turned the woman to face him and backhanded her as hard as he could. \"You are one to talk, Lira. You proclaim your love, then hear the truth. THe next thing you do is start attacking me, and then you pathetically attempt to insult me? You are not bi-polar as you put it. You are simply a whore who does not wish to feel anything for anyone. To think that I had honestly loved you in this present incarnation in a way that I had not loved you before. No wonder your last lover fucked you, and then ran from you as soon as you opened your mouth for something other than a man\'s penis.\"

Lira, who had not looked back up at him since he had hit her, gasped softly at his words. Never had she thought anyone would say something like that to her, and it was at that moment that she realized that everything that she had said was true.

Slowly she rose to her feet, her eyes lowered to the ground, her hair convering most of her face.

\"You miserable bastard... How dare you speak to me like that!\" Those were the last words she said before she lifted her head and looked at him with a countenance of loss and anger.

Matthias almost laughed at her words, but when he saw the look on her face, the memories of every meeting between the two passed over his vision.