The darkness folded in around him as he walked into the caves gaping maw. The would be Knight had spent years waiting for this day, and he was afraid. This wasn't fear of death. He had seen death coming for himself and others so many times that death had become one of those old acquaintances who you would rather not have over, but you just can't begrudge them a visit. What he dreaded was failure, the old nagging thought of what if the young oracles had been wrong, what if he just died with nothing achieved, or perhaps worse; what if he searched the cave, and nothing happened. He had been so close to finding her so many times, the knight didn't think he could take another failure.
Two decades ago he had seen the young oracles towards the end of his thirty-second spring. He had sat quietly eating his dinner when he noticed three little girls staring at him from across the room. Their piercing eyes skewering him, the eldest with ruby hair and ashen grey eyes; the middle with yellow hair and sapphire eyes; the youngest with raven hair and emerald eyes. They walked over to him and told him of how lost he had felt. They knew of the hole in himself that could never be filled; the pull he would feel first one way, then another. Before he could get where the pull was dragging him, it would quickly move somewhere else far away. They told him that the pull was towards the woman he loved even though they had never met. He had the rare gift of the Unicorn Knight. At birth the fates had connected his soul to that of a baby girl who he would have been drawn to until he found her. When he did, their bond would be complete and they would live the rest of their lives complete as long as they both lived. At the moment of their meeting a Unicorn Knight and his lady both become immortals if they are not already. His story, however, would not go the normal route.
His Lady was captured by an unbelievably cruel demon. They told him that he was the only one who could save her. They told him when, where, how, and what the price would be. She would be free, and his quest seeking her would finally come to a close.
Now, twenty years later, the time had finally come. Now he was finally at the place. Now she would finally be free, and now he would finally be at his journeys end. He remembered the instructions he had received so many years ago. He removed his helmet and armor, both dented with years of use. Neither would protect him from what he needed to face. They could only get in the way. He put down his axe and his dagger. Neither would help him win this victory. They could only bring harm to his goal.
He walked head high towards his Fortune, his Destiny, and his Doom.
The demon who awaited the unfortunate Unicorn Knight to be was a crafty creature. For over half a century she had plagued mankind from the shadows and while hiding in plain sight. She had many forms, many faces, and many wiles with which she would spread pain, hate, sorrow, lust, or whatever other dark emotions she could inspire and then feed upon. This man had kept appearing as if drawn to her like a lodestone, she kept leaving whenever he appeared because something about him felt distinctly wrong to her. She knew to trust her instincts, and they told her that this man was dangerous to her. Years of running from a mere mortal, however, wears on ones pride, something she had in spades. This time she would ensure that he would never follow her again.
He appeared to be unarmed and unarmored, but she took no chances that he might have a hidden weapon he might draw if she hesitated. She rushed straight forward and buried her dagger in his chest. She gazed into his eyes hoping to see the despair of oncoming death filling them, and an explosion went off in her heart. Her stomach felt as if she had suddenly fallen a thousand feet. She felt a bond, a oneness with this man unlike anything she had ever felt before. She knew him to the marrow of his bones and depths of his heart, and she could feel that in that moment, he knew her. He knew all her darkness, evil, cruelty, and malice; but he saw deeper into her drive, passion, inner strength, intelligence, all her merits, and all she could be if given an opportunity to feel real altruistic love. He loved her for what he saw deep within her, and she felt love for what she saw in him. They shared this one perfect moment and he died. He had saved her and he had set her free.
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