"I'm falling...my head feels like-huh."
"What is your name?"
"My name is...Haven't I already answered you?!"
"What is-"
"-Enough! It's Arthur, ok?! I have no other name."
"I see. Your ly-"
"-Lying, right? Why? Because your name's Arthur. Quit joking around and tell me what the hell I'm doing here?!"
"...Have you been making a contract?!"
"I'm working on it. Isn't that why I'm here?!"
"No. Another soul is hiding."
"Hiding? Another soul?"
"Show yourself."
"Ahahaha! You caught me! Tehee!"
A white double ganger shaped like Chronos appeared! He was floating playfully in the air.
"You want me to merge with this clown?!"
"What are you talking about?"
"You're making a contract with a god! Aren't you?!"
"Yeah...is that a problem?"
"Yeah is that a problem?!! Grr!!" Chronos's soul hissed at Arthur's soul.
"So annoying! Gah! I won't. Never. Not in a million years!"
"...Don't you also want to be stronger, Arthur?"
"Hah?! Why the hell would I want to be stronger? So you can run off and get yourself killed?! Quit joking! You're never going to beat Sedah. No contract with any god will!"
"Aren't you meant to be me? Don't you crave his death as I do! He needs to be eliminated. We need to claim our rightful justice."
"You want justice? Why? He killed your party. Your friends. That dragon girl! He must've had a reason, right?! I refuse to believe he-"
"-Enough. I was wrong. You're not me. You're my soul. A soft soul. A weak soul. I'm absolutely disgusted by you."
"Disgusted..?"
The embodiment of Arthur's soul gained eyes, a nose and an expression. What expression did he make? Despair. She fell to her knees.
"Why are you disgusted at me?"
He was loomed over by the man, who sought revenge.
"Stand up."
Arthur began to grip his hands to his face, staring at the floor in insanity.
"Fight. Chicken." Arthur gave a smile, as he towered over his soul.
"Please. I don't want to fight."
"Coward! Coward!" Chronos's soul spoke out, egging on Arthur's soul.
Arthur began to stand up. "I'll fight..."
"Against who?"
"Sedah..."
"Wrong! He's a demon. He shouldn't have a name. To us, that name Sedah is already dead. From now on he is a demon...a monster. A vile monster we must kill."
Arthur's soul flinched. She then placed both of her hands, on her face. She separated her face from her head. It left nothing but a void, she handed the mask to Arthur's palm. It phased into his left palm.
"That is our strength." Arthur's voice echoed and his soul dispersed into nothingness.
"Where did he go?"
"Ah! Don't worry. She isn't gone. Just hiding! I'll drag her out and we'll talk some other time about the contract. It seems you gained something special. Lucky! Anyway, it's time we sent you back. Haha! You should go back now since your soul's gone into hiding. Don't worry, I'll drag her back out!"
Chronos's soul poked Arthur's forehead with his finger. Arthur's eyes widened. A bright glow had encapsulated Arthur's vision.
Arthur sat up, profusely sweating. His breathing was heavy. He woke up to him in a bed, looking up at a wooden roof.
"Where the hell am I?!"
He looked outside the window and then got up out of bed, stumbling.
"Shit...I feel so lightheaded." He clutched his hand onto his hair, gritting his teeth. Arthur then heard sounds of swords clashing.
"Keep at it! Haha!"
He heard an old man's voice and quickly recognised that familliar joyous laugh, "Isn't that?" Arthur rushed out to see Chronos sparring with Kagekawa! Well, it was more like Kagekawa was toying with Chronos, but the child god was giving it his best! Kagekawa looked at Arthur, while effortlessly parrying Chronos's weak swings.
"Haha! Arthur! You're awake! How are you holding up?!"
"Good-your arm! What happened to your arm? Your body too! It's burnt!"
Kagekawa baited Chronos into an attack, which had left him wide open, and then he swiftly clutched onto his head, lifting him.
"Let me go!" Chronos started smacking Kagekawa's hand, which of course didn't hurt him at all.
"Haha! That's enough for today, go inside." Kagekawa let go off Chronos.
Chronos hurriedly ran inside, shoving past Arthur.
"Hey, watch where you're going, brat!" Kagekawa exclaimed at Chronos.
Chronos turned his head at Arthur and asked, "...Are you ok?"
"Hah! Of course, I am. Don't worry about me!" Arthur crossed his arms with a smug look on his face. Chronos then ran inside, closing the door, feeling somewhat guilty in causing Arthur's pain.
"He was worried sick for you. Chronos...is a kind child."
"That kid? I haven't even known him for long...and I didn't treat him all that nicely. He shouldn't worry about me..." Arthur remembered him choking Chronos.
"Yes...that kid. He's your partner. The god you've chosen to contract with and most gods hold their partners very dear to them."
"I see...so how long was I out?" Arthur coldly asked.
"A month."
"A month?!"
"That's right! Ah! Did you manage to form a contract with Chronos?"
"...It's on hold, I think?"
"On hold, huh? Well, it's better than it being terminated. Haha!"
Arthur gazed seriously at Kagekawa's burns. "I can guess already...it was him, wasn't it?"
"...Yes."
Arthur clutched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"He burnt you! He took your arm! I'll make sure to kill-"
Kagekawa placed his hand on Arthur's shoulders, "Don't worry about it, Arthur."
"...A world with that demon isn't safe." Arthur calmed down a little and spoke, "But I cannot sit idly by while a war goes on. I'll leave that demon for later...Kagekawa, this coming final battle...I'll fight in it!"
Kagekawa smiled at Arthur. "Thank you, Arthur."