My father and I pursued the Prince all the way along the various bridges and staircases around the castle, up the two huge towers and all along the ramparts.

Lightning ripped through the sky, and thunder boomed all around us as a massive storm billowed in the castle's direction.

At the top of the castle there were two massive towers, and a huge bridge connecting them. The Prince raced along the bridge and stopped at its center, before turning and facing my father and I. He drew his sword and grinned a wide, evil grin.

"Come and get me." he hissed, before beckoning us forward.

My father leapt into battle first, thrusting his sword forward in a blow that would've skewered the Prince.

The Prince parried the attack and launched an attack of his own. Almost immediately, it became very hard to keep track of the two men. Their motions were so fast and so fluid it was almost as though they were blurs fluttering around me.

Sparks shot out from the impacts of their blades, showering the bridge in them.

The Prince swung his sword at my father's, who brought his own up to stop it. They grappled for a moment, my father beginning to become tired.

"Give it up Maruis, you never could beat me." the Prince said, still grinning.

"I won't have to." Marius replied.

I felt a growing uneasiness in my chest. My father launched the attack again, moving like I've never seen him move before. His motions were blurred, and a look of panic came over the Prince's face as my father attacked with renewed speed, and stamina.

Their duel grew fiercer and fiercer, their attacks faster and faster. The uneasiness in my chest grew more and more. I was worried for my father.

"Give it up Marius!" the Prince shouted as they fought.

My father gritted his teeth and attacked again, but the Prince as faster. His fist swung up, hitting MArius in the jaw with the basket hilt of his claymore, leaving my father wide open to attack.

"Father no!" I shouted, reaching forward to pull my father back, but the Prince's blade was much faster than I.

It rammed through his gut and straight through his armour. The tip of the Prince's blade prodded through his back, showering the bridge in my father's blood.

The Prince grinned as he wrenched his blade free and glared at me.

I rushed to my father's side, and held him close as his sword fell from his hand. He looked up at me as blood dribbled over his bottom lip and the rain washed it down his armour.

"Do not grieve my son. It is the way of things." he said with a smile rising to his face.

"How can you be so at peace! The Prince will die for this!" I growled, feeling anger rise up inside me.

"The Prince forgot to read one crucial part of the prophecy. He who strikes down Life will surely be greeted with Death, in the form of Inekwar the Destroyer." my father said, his grin growing.

"But father..." I started, with tears beginning to stream down my face.

"You and I were never meant to win this son. I'm beginning my journey alone now." My father said. I could feel the life slipping away from him, no matter how tightly I cradled him in my arms.

"Father...no!" I shouted, the sadness and rage finally overcoming me.

"You must do this alone. You will be fine boy." he said, his voice growing weak.

I laid him flat on the ground, as the rain washed the blood from his armour.

"I will always be with you son. Have no fear." He said before he smiled at me, "I love you, Inekwar. You're the greatest son a man could ask for. You've done me proud, and I know the world will be safe in your keeping."

I wiped the tears from my face as the rainwater washed over my armour, the tears joining the rain.

My father looked up and smiled. "Kathleen..." he started, "I've come back to you my love."

With that, Marius, my father died. A man who had started off as a simple soldier, a vigilante and a great leader. A man who had championed the Vampires during the Vampire-Human War. A man who had saved Dreamland from Janet's massive conquering army. A man who had been to hell and back with the Four Horsemen, who had become Dreamland's sole guardian as the Horseman of Life.

My father.

I had never had the opportunity to tell him how happy I was to be his son, or to really have the time to know him all that well. We'd never been all that close during my life, and now I'd never had the chance to know him.

A halo of light surrounded his body before it vanished. The light scattered, before surrounding me. I felt the presence of my father all around me, before the light surrounded my armour and started glowing.

"You have the power, Inekwar. You are the Guardian of Dreamland, the new Horseman of Life. Bear your Wrath down upon the Prince and fulfill your destiny!" I heard my father's voice from all around me.

The light faded, and I saw I was wearing shining white armour, similar to my father's was. A long white cape billowed from my shoulders, and Wrath glowed in my hands, its blade shining with light.

The Prince laughed at me.

"Done crying, or are we going to get some fighting done?!" He shouted.

I stood solemn, feeling my rage coursing through my veins.

"Let's end this, you and I." I said before pointing Wrath in the Prince's direction.