Kopii glanced from Raven to the sheet.
– Raven, and if I don't learn the elven language, then I won't be able to fulfill your wish. You do understand that, – he said, putting the sheet away in the wardrobe. Perfectly understanding that he would not learn it.
– Yes, I understand that, but it's your choice – to learn or not to learn, – Raven replied, going upstairs. – Come on, the dungeon awaits us.
– Are you fully healed?
– Don't worry, Kopii, my wounds heal like a dog's, – Raven boasted, striking a pose and flexing his muscles.
So his days passed. If he was not descending into the dungeon, he was helping Raven or sparring with him. Thus two weeks passed. During these days, he understood one thing: Raven was hiding a lot.
– Hey, Kopii, hurry up! Today will be a special day! – Raven shouted in joy, pushing him to walk faster.
– Don't push me, Raven. Where are you in such a hurry? – he asked, noticing that Raven was acting strangely today. But he did not attach much importance to it, because Raven changed almost all the time. He was already used to it, but today Raven was somehow even stranger.
– Today is a very important day, a day that will help you a lot, well, I hope so! The answer to the question you've been seeking for weeks, today will be the key to solving it! – Raven exclaimed, overtaking him.
– I don't understand you, Raven. What key? What have I been seeking for weeks? – he asked questioningly, looking at Raven's back. The more he talked with him, the more he fell into a stupor.
– You'll soon understand, – Raven replied. – Soon, very soon, – he whispered.
– What's very soon?
– Just forget it, let's go faster, – he said, pausing in one spot. – You will be able to continue your path, – Raven whispered.
Turning to Raven, he said questioningly:
– Did you say something there, Raven? – He noticed how Raven's face changed for a second. At what he saw, he frowned.
– No, Kopii, what's with that face? We're almost at the tower. Let's hurry… And how lucky you are, Kopii, that the Loki Familia went on an expedition.
– Yes, lucky.
– But actually, I'm surprised that she went too. I thought she'd continue searching for you, – Raven said through his teeth, entering the Tower of Babel. – She's fallen in love with you, one hundred percent.
– Funny.
Raven stopped for a second, but after a moment, he sighed.
– Yes, indeed funny. You're ugly, how could I even think that.
«What a bastard.»
He did not notice the changes in Raven and began the descent.
– Hey, where are you, Raven?
He looked back. Examining Raven's expression, there was that smile as always… but it looked somehow exhausted.
– I was just thinking.
– And about what?
– That time is running out.
– What time?
– Soon we will become one.
He ignored Kopii, which made Kopii frown even more.
– Hey, you know I'm into girls.
– I'm not talking about that, Kopii. Well, come on, focus on the dungeon; you said yourself that one can't relax in the dungeon.
Overtaking Kopii and starting to walk ahead.
They descended lower and lower, until they reached the seventh floor. Raven was about to go further, but Kopii stood in front of him.
– ???
– Don't rush so much.
– Kopii, why are you so worried? You're with me. For you, monsters below the tenth floor are just insects.
Walking around him, Raven continued on.
– Even a bear can be defeated by insects.
He grabbed Raven's arm.
– No, Raven, it's dangerous, because I won't be able to help you.
– And why?
Shaking off his hand.
– Because, – he hesitated.
– Come on, speak.
– Yes, because I won't always be by your side. You shouldn't rely on me, Raven, – he blurted out the first thing that came to his head.
– I know that, Kopii. Do you think I haven't noticed how you haven't killed a single monster the whole time we've been together? We've been descending into the dungeon for a whole month now, a month, Kopii!
– So what! – He did not understand, but he did not like the direction their conversation was taking even more.
– YOU MUST WIN!!!
Raven interrupted him with a shout, which made Kopii flinch. And before he could understand, Raven moved forward.
– Stop! Raven, it's dangerous, you're only level one!
He dashed after him. He did not see the smile on Raven's face. But however hard he tried, however fast he ran, he could not catch him. And this fact could not but surprise him.
«Why is he so fast?» – he thought, unable to catch Raven.
Raven glanced back at him, and his smile grew even wider.
– Just a little left, – he whispered to himself.
He noticed as Raven slowed down; not hesitating for a second, he accelerated to the limit.
– Caught you.
Grabbing Raven by the arm.
– Ah ha-ha, you caught me. I thought…
Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp.
– !?
His eyes widened.
– It can't be.
It escaped his lips. Kopii immediately understood what monsters were approaching them. He was not afraid of them; he simply understood that there were many of them, and it would not work out without killing. For the first time in a long while, he fell into a stupor; he simply did not understand what to do. There were no positive outcomes in this situation. Seeing the killer ants crawling out from behind the wall, only one idea came to his mind.
– We need to run!
– What? Why?
Raven shouted, closing the distance with the killer ants.
– What! Stop, Raven!
He reached out for Raven, hoping to catch him. But he felt only emptiness; his eyes widened in horror.
«He became even faster!» – he thought. But his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of battle. Clenching his teeth, he dashed after Raven. He hoped his previous tactic would work.
But his hope collapsed when he could not hold back his strength, crushing an ant's head.
– It can't be.
Kopii's face stretched in horror.
– Raven, run!
That was the last thing he said before he felt the thirst and all-consuming hatred.
«No! No! No! Please!»
But his thoughts were not destined to come true. He rushed into the swarm of killer ants, tearing apart everyone in his path.
– Yes, Kopii, you must win! – Raven shouted, not in the least surprised by the change in him. – I hope this helps. – Raven whispered, watching him. With every second, there were fewer and fewer monsters. And when Kopii had killed every last monster, he turned his attention to Raven, starting to close the distance.
Raven watched as he came closer and closer. A smile played on his face, and when he fully saw him, his smile grew even wider. And quickly his face twisted in horror. But in his eyes, there was no fear, only madness.
– What are you! – Raven shouted in horror, seeing Kopii's eyes.
But Kopii ignored Raven's words and flew at Raven, cutting off his arm with one motion.
– AAA AAA IT HURTS!!! – Raven screamed in pain from his severed arm.
Turning his back to Kopii, he tried to run, but he could not get far.
– Kh, kh, – Raven coughed blood. Watching as Kopii's hand pierced his chest.
– It can't be. – His eyes widened in horror. But a smile played on his lips.
– It can't be.
He staggered back, watching as Raven fell to the cold floor of the dungeon. Recovering from shock and horror, he rushed to Raven's fallen body.
– Don't die! Don't die! – trying to close the wound with his hand, he knew it would not help; he simply did not want to believe what was happening. But however hard he tried, his thoughts returned to when he had pierced him with his hand. His hand had passed through him like a knife through butter; he had felt how his hand had penetrated him, how blood had flowed down his arm, and the most vile thing – he had felt his heart.
– Just a moment, just a moment, wait, I had a potion. – with trembling hands, he reached for the potion. But there was no strength in his hands.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
The characteristic sound of breaking glass rang out.
Raising his gaze from the broken bottle to Raven, Kopii froze.
– Raven…
He looked into the empty eyes of his dead friend, in which only recently there had been life, and now only emptiness… And it was because of him. This fact struck him with such force that his body began to tremble involuntarily, and tears streamed from his eyes.
– Raven.
He did not believe what was happening. In his whole life, he had had few friends. And for the first time, he had understood, thanks to Raven, what true friendship meant.
Sob.
– Raven.
He tried to lift his lifeless body, but there was no strength in his hands.
– Please.
Drip, drip.
– Please…
DRIP. DRIP. DRIP.
– Why… uuh, forgive me. Uuh, please forgive me…
He sobbed, no longer able to hold back his feelings.
Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp.
Kopii heard nothing of what was happening around him; he heard only his own heartbeat. The sharp pain of a bite brought him out of his stupor. Looking around, he was surrounded by killer ants. Clenching his teeth.
– It's all because of you. – He said with such malice and hatred, as if the worst enemies of the world stood before him.
Laying the lifeless body on the dungeon floor, he rushed at the nearest ant. Killing everyone who came into his sight.
– It's all his fault!
Bang.
– If he had listened to me, none of this would have happened!
He shouted, replaying this scene in his head for the hundredth time, and each time it became more and more painful.
And when he had dealt with all the ants, he returned to Raven. But he was not there.
– Where is he?
But however hard Kopii tried, Raven's body was nowhere. Except for magic stones, he saw nothing.
– Why?
Falling to his knees. He clutched his face in despair.
– I couldn't even protect him…
With every second, his emptiness only grew stronger.