Lee
2
1The story: A Thousand Deaths
The hero, a grizzled monster hunter named Ronan, found the villain by the docks. This time, he was a different man entirely. Instead of the flamboyant thief from their last encounter, he was dressed in a simple tunic, meticulously sketching a rusty anchor.
"Your art is uninspired," Lee said, his hand on his sword.
The man looked up, his eyes a cold, crystalline blue. "It has its own history, which is more than can be said for your brute force."
"I know who you are," Ronan said. "We've done this before."
The man smiled, a weary, knowing expression. "Have we? What do you remember?"
"The theft of the Star of Selene," Lee snapped.
"Ah, yes. Such a waste of a perfect diamond," the man said wistfully. "A foolish impulse. This time, I prefer the rust."
"What do you want?"
"To see what you will do. To feel the moment of my next death," the man said. "Does it still sting, the forgetting?"
Lee charged, his sword singing as it sliced through the air. The man stood still, his eyes locked on Ronan's blade. He didn't move until the last second, stepping slightly to the side and flicking a small brush at Lee's eyes. Lee's vision exploded with a flash of vibrant red.
He lunged blindly, and the man calmly stepped in, a hidden knife finding the gap in Lee's armor. As Ronan fell, he saw the man's expression change from serene to one of intense, unfamiliar focus.
The man knelt, touching Lee's cheek. "A good fight. I'll remember this one."
He closed Lee's eyes. He stood up, and his cold, crystalline gaze seemed to peer into the future. Then, the villain was gone.
A year later, Lee was reborn, clutching a rusty brush. He had a vague memory of a sword fight, but all he could think about was finding a clean surface to paint on. A dock pilings would do perfectly.
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