Rating: K+

Genre: Dark / Tragedy / Pain / Comfort / One Shot

Warnings: Dark thoughts / Character Death / Established Man x Man, but only mentioning of it / SPOILERS for the end of the game

Disclaimer: I own nothing of VP-CotP.

Summary: Certainly, that would be an appropriate sacrifice? And his feet already moved, pushing Sir Thyodor out of the way in the last moment as Niflheim's portal already closed.

Sacrifice

Darius x Wylfred

All he could do was stare as the young man he loved so much was fighting against his own father. The father he had sworn to redeem, to avenge. Now, was he going to be his true murderer? Not killing the flesh, but the soul? Not even the Battle Maiden could save an Einherjar fallen to demise and doom.

Darius shook his head, clearing his mind of all those stray thoughts as he grabbed his sword hilt tightly, ready to intervene given the chance. No, never would he let Wyl suffer even more! He had sacrificed so many souls for Hel, the Covenant and his vengeance, only to find now that the very being he hated and despised had saved him from death on his father's behalf. None of his companions were alive anymore, all gone, slain in the name of Hel and a sham of a contract, for which he personally still had to wring a Goddesses neck.

Why he himself was still standing now – at the end – was mere sentimentality on Wylfred's part, the last shred of desperate longing for companionship, warmth and love. Darius was the thin thread that had let the gray haired youth keep part of his sanity, part of his loving heart, the heart that had cared for his friends, family, even strangers. His hand grew tighter around the hilt as he readied himself, but alas was there no time to step in after all and he wanted to wince like an animal as Sir Thyodor fell to his knees, badly wounded, perchance unrecoverable.

Wyl stood there, stricken, and all the brunette wanted to do now was wrap his arms around his younger lover and asure him that everything would be alright again, even if it was the greatest and most common lie in history. His soothing skills had always lacked, but how much comfort could two tainted souls give each other? Torn and beaten and absolutely lost. Both of them had known that they lied to one another, out right and shamelessly – but both had cared little for it, wanting to believe in it, even if it hurt much more afterwards than before.

And now here she came, the servant of Hel wanting to claim his Wylfred for her Mistress. Wyl did not resist just stood there, waiting for his absolute doom, perchance his repentance in his eyes. But, no! That could not be the end! The only path left for his Wyl to take would it? And he saw it in the corner of his eye, heard it as Sir Thyodor yelled and lunged forward to save his son. But was that any better? - No... The pain would be too great, wouldn't it? His Wyl would shatter for good, lost forever, even with parting words given and certainly, a man chosen as Einherjar deserved no imprisonment in the depth of Niflheim.

But what about a man who killed his best friend? Betrayed everything and everyone? Certainly, that would be an appropriate sacrifice? And his feet already moved, pushing Sir Thyodor out of the way in the last moment as Niflheim's portal already closed. He turned toward his lover and saw the shock with fast approaching fear and pain, but all Darius could do was smile, sincere and honest – and he couldn't remember the last time he had done that – and felt at peace. And the world vanished into pain and darkness, but still, he smiled as a last whisper escaped to the world of the living, reaching Wylfred, who fell to his knees weeping.

"At last... an end to my suffering..."

A/N: This happens when you dig out a game you haven't touched in a long while and think: "Hm... What are these save files? No clue anymore where that was... Just tap it, look where you stopped."And yeah, you end up seeing the last scenes of a game with the last battle and stuff and just stuff runs through your head like the above with the what if's again. Damn things! XD Well, I hope you guys had fun with it. I personally felt a bit teary eyed... Poor Darius and Wyl and Thyodor... Why am I making them suffer even more? Ah, well I love the damn tragedy and all... XD