Eikre To Galgarion
By Glenn Few

I hate you. I hate you for the shadow you've cast over me, making me appear the demon.

They all thought I was you. But you know that - you were right there, right in the hand of an angel. I hate you for being there, and myself for putting you there. You were to be the token of my love, a means for me to steal the heart of the world's most beautiful thief. You took my love and made it into thorns, and then you turned them on us. I don't care about my pain, but that your thorns drew HER blood - unforgivable! And worse, that I put you in a place to do so!

You hurt the one I love, and I allowed you to do so. I stand in your shadow, unable to be myself now. I will always be your shadow, and I hate you for that, and I hate myself for being too weak to stop it.

I know how I come across. A smooth, cocky, airheaded pretty-boy, chasing affection that will never be mine. Yes - I know Cherry will never love me. I've seen her looking at that hero. I know what's there. And I know what they see when they look at me. I see the word as it flickers over their faces, a flare of dread - 'Galgarion!' - until it's gone and they see the true face of Eikre. But they see you first, and I hate you for that.

And I won't trouble to hide it, the way I hide my agony when Cherry smiles at her hero, the way I hide the sting when they look at me and I see your name in their eyes. Let them know how I despise you! Let it make us stronger! And when we meet face-to-face again, you will see your name burning in my eyes, with hatred enough to freeze those pretty petals right off your grinning face. It will be the last thing you see. And you will take it with you into eternity, echoing forever like a curse, and it will become your own private hell, that venomous name - Galgarion, Galgarion, Galgarion - and it will become no more of our world, only yours.

And maybe then I'll see my name in their eyes.