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Chapter 725 Farewell... Old Friend

Ashton\'s eyes shot open in the eerie quiet of the unknown, and he found himself engulfed in an all-encompassing darkness. It wasn\'t the familiar darkness of a closed room or a night devoid of stars – it was a profound, endless void, a blackness that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Where am I?"

A start jolted through him, and he sat up abruptly, surrounded by the impenetrable dark. There were no outlines, no shapes, just an oppressive nothingness. No skies above, no ground below. Just darkness stretching out in every direction.

"Please tell me this is some kind of a prank..." Ashton said out loud, hoping someone would reply, but no one did.

The silence was deafening, and Ashton strained to hear any sound, but it was as if the very air absorbed any attempt at noise. He tried to discern any hint of his surroundings, but the darkness clung to him like a shroud, offering no answers.

Ashton\'s breath quickened as he strained his eyes, trying to make sense of this void that seemed to defy any logic of space or time. The weight of the unknown pressed upon him, and a feeling of isolation set in, and then there was a sound.

"Footsteps? They\'re faint but undeniable."

Ashton\'s head snapped towards the direction of the noise, squinting into the darkness. Gradually, a figure emerged, a silhouette taking shape against the black backdrop.

It was Sven, his shadow knight, walking steadily toward him. The relief washed over Ashton at the sight of Sven walking towards him.

"Sven?" he called out, his voice echoing, swallowed by the darkness.

"My lord," he acknowledged as his stoic figure was hugged with shadows.

A sense of reassurance settled upon Ashton, but the questions lingered, pressing at the edges of his thoughts.

"Where are we?"

"I do not know, my lord. Much like you, I find myself in a realm unfamiliar to me." Sven replied, yet Ashton thought his summon knew more than he was letting on.

"Is that so?" Ashton nodded, a frown etching his features. "Then I suppose you don\'t know how we get out of here?"

"I know the way, master. I can see the exit in the distance," A glint of determination flickered in Sven\'s shadowy eyes. "I can guide you if you follow me, my lord."

"You said you don\'t know where we are, but you know the way out?" Ashton rolled his eyes. "You\'re a terrible liar, unlike me. But well, I\'ll entertain your words. Lead the way."

Soon, Ashton trailed behind Sven. Yet every step felt uncertain, and the air thickened as they moved through the enigmatic void. Ashton\'s senses strained to grasp any semblance of his surroundings, but the darkness persisted.

The emptiness was disorienting, and Ashton\'s mind grappled with the surrealism of it all. As he walked behind Sven, he couldn\'t shake the feeling that this was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

He pinched himself, half-expecting the sensation of a dream, but there was nothing. No pain, no tangible feeling – just the haunting void.

"What a strange place is this?" Ashton laughed. "It\'s like I\'m dead or something-"

And then, a revelation donned on his mind. Ashton glanced down, and his heart skipped a beat. There, right in the middle of his chest, was a gaping hole.

A void within the void, a reminder of Astaroth\'s betrayal. Ashton\'s mind swirled with confusion, the puzzle pieces refusing to align. Why would Astaroth betray him?

Anger bubbled within Ashton as he remembered his last moments, a fierce surge that threatened to consume him. Yet, as quickly as it rose, it subsided.

If he was truly dead, what good was anger? Instead, his thoughts shifted to Anna, his mother Ava, and the worry etched across his face deepened.

A realisation dawned on him – Sven, his faithful companion, was walking alongside him in this mysterious afterlife. But why? Hadn\'t he left Sven on Earth to protect his loved ones?

"Sven," Ashton questioned, the confusion evident in his voice, "why are you here with me? I left you to protect Anna and my mother."

"My lord, you summoned me into this dark space as soon as you woke up." Sven\'s response only added to the enigma.

"I didn\'t summon you," Ashton furrowed his brow, grappling with the implications. "How is this possible?"

"I do not know, My Lord..." Sven remained silent for a moment before offering a cryptic explanation.

"I was on Earth, carrying out my duties as I was instructed to when I felt a sudden pull," he said. "Someone was calling for me, for my help. It was you, master. I heard your voice, and the next moment, I was in this strange realm."

"...But I distinctly remember not summoning you," Ashton mumbled, trying to come up with a solution.

The pair continued through the void, Sven leading the way with unwavering determination. Ashton\'s thoughts continued to churn, a storm of uncertainty raging within him.

As they continued through the abyss, Ashton couldn\'t shake the nagging feeling that something larger was at play. His thoughts whirred, trying to make sense of the situation. If he was truly dead, what awaited him beyond this darkness?

The two figures moved through the darkness, the air heavy with unspoken emotions. As Ashton\'s mind grappled with the surreal circumstances, he found himself standing before a bright door.

It radiated an otherworldly glow, contrasting starkly with the surrounding darkness. Curious, Ashton tried to peer beyond the door, but all he could see was a blinding light.

"Hm... I suppose that\'s the entrance to hell?" Ashton laughed. "But it looks too pure to be that. I thought hell would look more... fiery?"

With a solemn demeanour, Sven dropped to his knees and bowed before Ashton.

"What is this, Sven?"

"My lord, it has been an honour to serve you."

"What are you doing, Sven?" Astonished, Ashton took a step back, his eyes widening.

"You are not going to heaven or hell, my lord." Sven\'s voice carried a mixture of reverence and finality. "Someone is, but not you."

It then hit Ashton. His title... [The Emissary Of Death] must have activated in his dying moments and summoned Sven in whatever realm they were to die in Ashton\'s place.

At that moment, Ashton couldn\'t help but feel a sense of gratitude for Sven\'s unwavering loyalty. The bond between master and shadow knight, it seemed, transcended the boundaries of life and death.

"Sven, why did you sacrifice yourself for me?" Ashton inquired, a genuine curiosity in his voice.

"That is a stupid question, my Lord," Sven paused before responding, his words carrying a weight of profound commitment. "My purpose is to serve you, my lord. I pledged my loyalty to you. It goes without saying that I would gladly give my existence for your safety."

"Even if I didn\'t ask for such sacrifice?" Ashton chuckled, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips as he realised it was the final moment he would get to share with his loyal summon.

"Especially in that case..." Sven said, and for once, he was smiling.

"Sven, I... I don\'t know how to thank you," Ashton began, his voice trailing off as emotions threatened to overcome him.

"It was my duty, my lord. Your safety is paramount."

A sombre smile played on Ashton\'s lips as he reached out, placing a hand on Sven\'s shadowy form. The touch was intangible, yet it conveyed volumes.

"You\'ve been more than a summon, Sven. You\'ve been a friend, a companion," Ashton\'s voice began to break. "I can\'t bear the thought of losing you."

"I am and always will be a part of you, my lord," Sven\'s eyes, filled with a depth that transcended his shadowy exterior, met Ashton\'s. "Our paths may diverge, my lord, but I will always be watching over you."

Ashton sighed, the weight of the moment settling upon them. "You\'ve given me more than I could ever repay."

"Live a long and eventful life, my Lord," Sven smiled yet again as his shadowy form began disintegrating. "That will be the payment of my sacrifice."

"Sven, is there nothing I can do? Can\'t you come with me?"

"Our paths are intertwined no more, my lord. But do not carry the burden of sorrow. I leave with gratitude in my heart."

Ashton nodded, a silent understanding passing between them. "Thank you, Sven. For everything."

The shadows embraced Sven, tendrils of darkness enveloping him like a shroud. Ashton watched with a heavy heart as his loyal companion began to dissipate, returning to the ephemeral realm from which he had emerged. As Sven\'s form gradually faded, his voice echoed in the air one last time.

"Every shadow has a purpose; mine was to stand by you. As I fade away, know that you are never truly alone. I\'ll always be there in your shadows, silently cheering you on."

"I will... my friend..."

Following Sven\'s demise, the bright door behind him swung open, and an intense light consumed him. Time seemed to stretch into infinity as Ashton was enveloped in the blinding light, his consciousness spiralling into an unknown realm.

After what felt like an eternity, Ashton\'s eyes flickered open. He was no longer surrounded by the void. Instead, he found himself in where he had died – the Verge. But it was eerily empty. No Astaroth, no Sven, just the remnants of a battlefield on a desolate planet.

Ashton struggled to sit up, memories flooding back – Astaroth\'s betrayal, Sven\'s sacrifice. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to understand it all.

Then, words appeared before his eyes in bold letters:

[Title: Emissary of Death has taken effect.]

[You have been resurrected.]

[Your summon: Sven has been sacrificed in your stead.]

[Remaining Summons: 09]

"Astaroth... I swear it on my life: I will dismantle everything you hold dear, piece by piece."

In tears, Ashton took an oath that would forever change the history of their lives and the entire universe.