WHO: Caseo, Kyo, Aditi, Thora, Titus, Faihan, Cinna, Pius, Gunnar, Tiberius, Zephyr, Nero...and the Dark Knight. WHEN: Spring Ceremony WHERE: The Beacon of Light SUMMARY: The Dark Knight party crashes the Spring Ceremony...and a terrible revelation occurs. CW: Fantasy Violence, Heartbreak
The Spring Ceremony proceeds with prayer and song. Though only a select few are able to enter the tower outside the city, the grounds below have been arranged so that those with a desire may gather and watch the proceedings on various magitech screens. A motley crew has gathered around the Chosen of Song and his family, including Kyo and Aditi, as well as Prince Titus and his guard, Pius. The ceremony is a little dry, but it appears to be going well.
Then, suddenly, in the middle of the High Priest’s worship to the Light Crystal, a magical barrier forms and crystalizes around the tower, sealing everyone inside…and, too, forming a second seal at the very top of the tower.
On the projects, a dark slash suddenly cleaves the Light Crystal in two.
"Greetings, citizens of Serenitas. It is about time you stop worshiping a false idol," speaks a voice that cannot be identified, and the Dark Knight steps into view.
"What have you done, devil?!" cries King Tiberius.
Zephyr moves to stand between the King and the Dark Knight, shield in hand.
Below the tower, the gathered audience reacts in shock to what seems like the destruction of the Light Crystal. Pius can only gaze in horror. Cinna's eyes go wide, and she stands up suddenly very straight and attentive. But she is otherwise quiet, hands clasped in front of her. Badr watched silently, brow furrowed.
"This cannot be..." Aditi whispers.
Kyo stands up, brow furrowed. "Gaius."
"Dad! I have to help Dad!" Titus gets up and runs for the tower, followed by Pius, still too shocked to say anything.
On the screen, the Dark Knight readies his sword. "Where is it?" he demands of the High Priest, Nero.
"I know not what you speak of," Nero replies.
"The Light Crystal. Where is it."
"Zephyr, detain this villain right now."
"The only villain here is you." Zephyr stands at the Dark Knight's side. His armor shifts, turning into the armor worn by the mysterious knight during the field trip.
"Zephyr?? Why???"
Badr stands, but he doesn't run at the tower. He watches the screen intently. Caseo watches the tower intently. He hasn't moved from his spot, or acted as horrified or worried as the people around him. He looks a bit like a cat waiting for a moment to pounce. Kyo has been standing and paces back and forth. He glances over at Badr, trying to read him, then looks back at the screen.
"It seems like the rats have infested even the holiest of places, hmm?" The High Priest subtly waves his hand and the projection is abruptly cut off.
"Dad!" Titus arrived at the barrier. "Pius—where is Gaius? Why is no one getting inside?"
"He was inside...to help with the ceremony..." Pius puts a hand out to test the barrier. "We need to dispel it to get inside..."
The Royal Guard had begun now fighting among each other, half of them loyal to Zephyr.
"Damn it!" Titus touches the barrier...and his hand goes right through. Titus casts one final look at Pius before he dashes right past the barrier and into the tower.
“"Prince Titus!” Pius also attempts to go through...but the barrier is very much solid when Pius touches it. He points on the barrier, but to no avail. He can only watch as Titus disappears into the tower.
At last, with the projection dead, Badr looks at Kyo. "Why is there only one crystal in Serenitas? Who was Itzal really? What did Itzal do to be hated so by the world?"
Kyo recognizes Zephyr, and suddenly feels rage bubbling up inside him. No longer wondering what he should do, he looks like he is about to run at the tower himself. When Badr speaks, he whips his head around. "I... I... don't know! Maybe... something something balance?" Kyo is frustrated and agitated, "Gaius is in there! That man, he kidnapped Gaius last time!"
Badr presses his lips and then shakes his head. "We should try to get inside first."
Kyo nods his head and takes off, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Maybe you could sing a song." He means it sincerely, even though his tone is curt. Kyo approaches the barrier and attempts to slice through it with his flaming sword. There is a scratch on the barrier, but it seals off again.
Badr follows after, turning to Cinna. "I might be able to break it with a song, but I need to know the nature of this magic...can you ascertain it?"
With a wild war cry, Thora, too, sets off at a gallop and throws a bolt of white lightning at the barrier. The barrier sends Thora flying backwards. She rolls across the ground nearby, uttering a chain of colorful curses.
Cinna very sincerely considers doing nothing. But she glances at Badr, pauses briefly, then nods. She stretches out with a tendril of magic to try probing the barrier for hints as to its magical DNA. Lowering her sword, she looks at Badr. "It's old magic."
Old Magic. Yes, it would have to be, wouldn't it? Badr takes a deep breath and, deciding he'll have to go on intuition, begins to sing. The air around him darkens, turning to swirling indigo clouds, rimmed in silver, which sift around the barrier where he and the others have gathered. He closes his eyes, listening, trying to ascertain what the magic needs to soften to him...and he hears the whisper of the magic. The barrier whispers its intent to protect those of the Ilunabarrean royalty bloodline from outsiders. It does feel old and strange, something he has not known before. For a moment, he almost flinches, but he continues his gentle song of cloudy skies and stars, and then...he feels it, the opening in intent—he begins to feed it with his own, telling the magic that they wish no harm on anyone of Ilunabarrean descent, asking it to part to let them pass through—
"Stop right there!" Three knights rush in to stand in between the group and the barrier.
Another group of royal guards approach Pius. "Are you with the Captain or the liars?!"
"What...?" Pius looks confused. "I am...I am Prince Titus's...?"
"The King and the High Priest have been lying to us! They have been using our faith. Who do you stand with?!"
Pius puts his hand to his sword. "I stand with my king and prince, as you should."
The knights attack, and Pius draws his sword, attempting to block.
Meanwhile, Gunnar had been running towards the tower. Upon arrival, he notices the melee in front of him. Spotting Pius, he grabs his pistol to shoot at the guard trying to hurt his friend. He styles on the knight, and with a surgical hit, the man goes down, his sword flying off—disarmed, but alive.
Pius looks up with great relief at Gunnar's arrival. "Mutiny is afoot... Are you all right, my friend?"
Gunnar smiles slightly as he blows the gun smoke from his pistol. "I should be asking you that." He doesn’t have much time to talk before he turns towards the guards and readies his pistol again, adjusting a setting so it has a spray effect. "You're outnumbered though."
Meanwhile, the Royal Guard is on the losing end as some of them are trying to calm and evacuate people...somewhere. They don't seem to even know where.
This part isn’t going to plan. Caseo walks towards the entrance, carefully and inconspicuously as he can, and waits for his moment to sneak past both his classmates and the guards. No one appears to see him. That’s good. Caseo looks over the area with a critical eye—not much beyond the area leading to the stairs and a few rooms. His first intent is to go upstairs…which promptly changes when he sees how many stairs are involved.
Never mind. They don't need to know the barrier is down, not if he can stop them long enough. He doesn’t have the full range of traps that littered the city, but he has enough as a backup. He places the blinding traps as strategically as he can. There is little room for cover (bad), but there were few places one could go to miss them (good). Hopefully their rush to get inside will work to his advantage.
That looks good. Caseo nods to himself and…well. He can't leave, can he? Sneaking out again would be asking for problems. He slips into one of the other rooms to wait and listen.
Even though they are traitors, Pius does not wish to hurt the guards rushing him and Gunnar. Like Gunnar, he tries not to hit them with his sword, instead infusing it with light magic. How, he wonders, does he still feel the same connection as usual when he saw the Dark Knight strike the crystal...? But then, the Knight had asked...? There is no time to worry about it. He tries to put space between himself and his fellow guards, to slash at them with an arc of light instead of the steel of his blade.
The light sends two of the knights flying and then falling on the ground in the distance. But the knights coordinate and attack Pius together. The knights are also not trying to kill. Their joint attack manages to unarm Pius, leaving a cut on his arm.
Pius grunts as his sword sweeps from his fingers, out of range. He grabs his arm. "You would turn your swords on our King? The princes? This blessed country? What evil has beset your hearts, my countrymen?"
Gunnar adjusts his setting to another spray attack. He takes aim and fires. His well-aimed shots take down four of the guards, leaving only five able to fight.
Thora, recovering from her previous blunder with gusto, leaps to her feat. She springs from the toes of her boots into the air and performs a high-flying somersault––
"And now...laaadies and gentlemen...FOR THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!"
––before crashing down into the middle of the fray with a bolt of lightning, aimed at the ground in an attempt to block the knights from bringing further harm to her pals.
Thanks to Thora's warning, the knights avoid her attack…but they also stop attacking Pius.
"You don't understand everything Lord Zephyr has done for its people, unlike the Church! The Dark Knight told us the truth of the lies weaved by Serenitas!" one of the knights shouts back.
"Is that any reason to try…I guess this is a coup? Sending everything into chaos?" Gunnar asked.
"Thousands of years of lies and oppression? Of course it is!"
"King Tiberius is no liar. If you will turn your sword on King and Kingdom, then I will not show mercy." Pius sprints for his sword.
Gunnar covers for Pius, holding his gun steady. "At least don't hurt the princes. Let us through to them. If not, I have more than enough beebees to go around, until I run out and have good ole fashioned Donnersberg made bullets."
"We don't intend to harm the royalty. Our goal is to subdue and detain them."
Thora, unfazed, lets out another rallying cry and lunges forward, whipping her gunblade a few times across the air. Tendrils of white and blue fill the air and come down toward the knights in a crackling haze of electricity. The whips of electricity hit one of the guards, who cries and falls to the ground from the shock, leaving four behind.
Pius snatches the sword from the ground, whirling around. "I should relieve you of your tongues for this dishonor you dare spout. I give you this chance to surrender. But I will perish, or you shall, before I see you lay your treacherous hands on either prince."
Gunnar grits his teeth as he sees Pius so willing to throw his life away. But he holds his gun steady. "Py, they said they won't kill them. Maybe we should...uh...go with them and make sure that nothing happens?" His eyes dart back and forth.
"Your thoughts are too clouded by those snakes, but we'll stop and save you,” the guards say, relenting.
Pius lowers his sword. "If you follow us, then you will die." He can see others gathered near the entrance, and since the guards are relenting, Pius bolts towards the tower. The only thing on his mind being the princes he is sworn to protect.
Gunnar hurries after Pius, looking around to make sure no one jumps from behind.
The guards, forced to regroup and heal, regretfully let them pass.
"Kyo..." Badr murmurs.
"We have to go."
Badr purses his lips, but nods. He moves back to let Kyo have space with the guards blocking the entrance and begins to sing a song—the song he sang for Titus in the cathedral, a spell to enhance Kyo's speed.
"Kyo, be careful..." Aditi whispers. She looks over her shoulder at the fighting and decides she will stay back, to tend to the wounded of both sides—as she locates them.
Kyo nods to Aditi. "You too. Be safe." Kyo gives her a small smile before looking to the guards in front of him, turning serious. He leaps in, swinging his sword in a horizontal arc, to hit as many in one action, and the guards just crumble like cards.
"Kyo..." Badr stares for a moment, impressed—though that is not the reason for his pause—and then closes his eyes. "Lead the way."
Pius arrives, panting. His white uniform has turned red between glove and pauldron. He looks at the downed guards and then at Kyo, too worried about what is happening overhead to show his admiration. "They want to capture and detain King Tiberius and the princes…"
Abruptly, the projection goes live again. There on the ground, a bloodied Tiberius lies at the Dark Knight's feet, groaning and clutching his chest. In front of them stood the High Priest, staff in hand as he glared at the Dark Knight.
"No..." Pius groans.
"I will KILL YOU!" The Dark Knight yells, rushing at Nero, readying his massive sword. His heart was racing, deep-seated anger swelling in his chest.
"FAAAAAAAAAATHEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!"
Before the Dark Knight could swing at Nero, Titus comes rushing in, shield lifted before him as he barrels down upon the Dark Knight. He swings his sword, and the impact of their clash sends both Chosen of Light and Dark Knight flying in opposite directions.
"Titus!" cried Badr.
"Prince Titus!" Pius echoed.
The impact knocks the Dark Knight’s helmet away. Before them stands Gaius, gritting his teeth and tightening his grip on his sword.
"No...no...NONONONO NOOOOOOOOOOOO," Titus cries.
"It can't... It...no..." Pius falls to his knees in shock.
"Hmmm..." Cinna murmurs, and it isn’t the sound of surprise. Though she keeps the rest to herself.
Badr's cry dies. He stares at the screen, and then he laughs softly, eyes squeezed closed. "Damn you, Gaius..."
On the screen, Titus dashes in again, trying to hit the 'illusion' with his shield. "You are an imposter—you can't...No....no..no!"
Kyo does not yell for Prince Titus, but he understands the weight of the situation and prepares to lead the way. But then the helmet flies off... His eyes widen. No. Gaius couldn't be capable of this. Well, okay, maybe he could… Maybe he wanted to… But wasn't Kyo…? He freezes, his body shaking. Titus is shouting that Gaius is an imposter. But no, it could be Gaius. All those talks they had… It could be Gaius.
"Get out of my way, I must kill that man!" With a growl, Gaius’s sword comes into contact with Titus's shield. His eyes glow a deep and dark purple.
Badr suddenly shoves Kyo. "Go. Don't let them do this."
Badr's shove snaps Kyo out of his initial shock. He began to move forward to try and find the warring twins. He doesn't look back. He doesn't even know what to do, but the twins could not kill each other. That much he knew.
Pius looks like someone has hit him in the face, but he gets up and starts to run after Kyo.
On the screens, it is apparent that Zephyr is also injured. He crawls over to Tiberius, taking him in his arms. "My king, please...please don't—I can't...not without you."
The King coughs up blood. "Why...didn't you say anything…?" He weakly reaches for the other man's cheek, trying to feed him a potion.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry. I didn't think you would understand. Please stay with me."
"It's just a scratch..." The king smiled at Zephyr.
"Take him with you. I'll stay," Gaius commanded.
"But—"
"Go!" Gaius slashes at Titus again. "Out of my way, Chosen of Light!"
Zephyr breaks his teleport gemstone, disappearing with the King in his arms.
"Father! FATHER!" Titus screams.
If he could only open a hole in space, tear just a little seam—let Kyo and Pius step through and arrive at the top of the tower... In his studies with Gaius, Badr had read of something like that, but it required much more magic. It would require more than what he could do alone. He curses himself for sending Kyo ahead. But then, would he and Kyo alone be enough? Badr listens to the King's weak voice, to Titus's confused anger, to Gaius's cool words...and begins to sing. The magic had not worked in previous attempts, but he tries anyway, calling to the planet itself, beckoning, beckoning, beckoning... hoping that they will arise, fill the tower room—keep the brothers from doing greater harm...
There is a faint glimmer in the tower. A glimmer, and then wings push out from the spec of light, breaking as though from an egg, unfurling into the dim shape of a bird with two long tail feathers. It glows faintly with a dim, blue color, emanating sadness.
Were he not filled with rage, Gaius would feel proud of his friend, but the overpowering sadness coming from the Phasma is dulling his other emotions, so he stands in place.
"...Badr...?" Titus says.
The traps left by Caseo were all blinding traps. The intent was to delay and distract, not to kill. At least, not to kill directly. He doesn't take any credit for anything that might happen when a person or monster flails after springing one. When stepped on, the trips release a bright, blinding flash of light for a second, but when it's over, the results remain…
What was that? It takes Kyo a few moments to figure out what just hit him and why he can’t see. He still pushes on before another loud bang hits him, causing his ears to ring. Now he is angry. He growls as he tries to continue on, listening for the twins—for anyone. And he gets hit again. And gets angrier, more haggard. But he presses on. No, he doesn’t want the twins to kill each other. Even as his afflictions stack up.
Thanks to Kyo running into the traps, the way is cleared. Normally, he might pause to assist the prince, but it’s an emergency, so Pius sprints up the last of the stairs, stumbling into the tower room. He breathes heavily ashe takes in the scene—there now with Nero, Gaius, and Titus (and that weird phasma). He looks between the two princes, not able to speak…yet.
It's hard not to be sucked up by the sadness, but Gaius has to do this—he has to kill Nero for hurting his father and everything else he’s done. "Will you really choose to protect this man? You, so-called hero of justice?"
Suddenly, again, the projection cuts out.
"Gaius—why... why?" Tears mist in Titus's eyes.
“Is this…the face of your revolution, Gaius?” Pius demands.
"I will do what must be done. No one, not even you will stop me, Titus—Pius."
Three youths in a courtyard. Three wooden swords. The soft crack of wood breaking against wood. Pius can hear Titus’s bold voice echoing up to the sky, bright and blue as the day, the harmony of Gaius’s calmer, steadier voice humming beneath it as one brother knocks the practice sword from the other’s hands. He can hear his own uncertain but hopeful voice, not yet fallen into its adult octave, shouting, Don’t forget about me! Their laughter was so easy…
“Gaius, I swore to protect you. I will. Even if it is from yourself. I will not let you bloody your hands. I will not see you a murderer,” says the knight.
Gentle and kind, Gaius was so soft and gentle ever since he could remember. Titus could remember it clearly when he mended his clothes, or when Gaius held his hand when he was scared of the dark. Tears rolled down his cheeks.
"You promised to trust me—to stand with me against anything to keep Serenitas and the world safe...."
You are my best friend, Titus! His brother was always steady and eager to fight any injustice, but...now... No matter what good intentions Titus has, he’s on the side of the man manipulating the church. No matter how much Gaius loves Titus, Titus is Erlantz, the man who broke his promise.
"That is why I will fight you, if I must. It's my duty as the Chosen of Darkness to return the balance to this world. And it's my duty as a Scion of Ilunabarrean to avenge my people."
“Please, Gaius… Do not do this. Please…” Pius drops his sword, moving to stand before Nero. “Are we not, too, your people? You are…my brother.”
"Why are you waiting to detain this man?" Nero demands. "He hurt the king, he's the bringer of the Calamity reborn, and is now threatening my life. Prince Titus."
"But it's..." Titus starts.
"The villain who tried to kill your father."
With a choked sob, Titus readies his sword and shield and steps forward. "I—it's my duty...as the Chosen of Light...to defeat..." A strong gust of snow fills the open space of the tower.
Gaius glares at Nero, readying his sword again. "Move, Pius."
“My life has always belonged to you. Take it, if you must,” Pius replies.
Gaius's eyes glow dark purple, a wave of darkness bathing the edge of his sword as he grips the hilt tight. "Pius, I must end this now. Get away from him."
“No.”
It took what felt like hours, but through the ringing of his ears, Kyo thinks he hears the commotion only a short distance away. He feels bruised from tripping and winded, but he still manages to stumble into the room, panting.
"Gaius, Titus..."
He thinks he can hear some of the words from Nero: Villain who tried to kill his father. Pius pledging his life. He wipes at his eyes as his vision finally cleared.
"Gaius! Stop!"
"I don't want to kill you. This is my last warning," Gaius says, but Pius only shakes his head. Gaius closes his fist, and from the shadows at Pius's feet, a hand comes up, gripping him.
"Farewell, Pius."
Subtly, his hand begins to tremble, barely containing the sadness swelling up in his chest, lifting Pius higher in the air.
"GAIUS! STOP! This is not you!" Kyo shouts.
Pius's hands reach for the magic binding him, but he does not struggle. This is what he had been taught, over and over again: your life will belong to the princes. However you must shield them, do so. Be certain you die an honorable man of Serenitas. He is prepared…
Gaius steps closer, readying the sword in his hand... but he then tosses Pius to the side and attempts to rush at Nero.
"I must...defeat.. you!" Titus dashes in, his brilliant shield clashing with Gaius's dark sword once more.
Kyo hates the snow, and he wants fire again. He swings his sword to produce a line of fire between the twins. "The two of you! Do you really want to fight each other? It would destroy both of you!"
Gaius jumps back, casting a ball of darkness at Kyo's feet. "Don't interfere. This doesn't concern you."
Titus is too distraught to pursue Gaius earnestly, the pain unbearable before he even raised his sword.
"Why don't you fulfill your duty as Chosen?" Nero demands.
"You're not helping, Holy Father!" Kyo snaps. He narrows his eyes at Gaius, annoyed how someone he feels so close to can toss a spell at him like nothing. "Yes, I think this does, Gaius! It concerns all of us, because we're all connected right?"
She managed to hit the last unsprung trap, but at last, Cinna arrives, panting. She takes one look at the dueling brothers, then across the room to Nero, and dashes forward, rapier swinging, as a tendril of magic whips the air ahead of her, aiming for the High Priest.
"I'm different from all of you. Do you think I'm here to hold hands with you all?" Gaius spots Cinna from the corner of his eye, relieved that she has finally made her choice.
Nero isn’t expecting the attack, but he has time to react, shielding himself with his arm. Bleeding, he grabs Cinna’s tendril of magic and whips it back at her, sending her flying.
"You aren't different from me!" Kyo cries. It may have been the traps, but Kyo feels his eyes grow watery. "I know we talked about a lot of things. Change. Everything. But it doesn't have to be this way. With fighting Titus at least."
"Y-you knew...?" Titus stammers at Kyo.
"You were nothing but a means to an end, Kyoujiro." Gaius speaks that lie with the conviction of a truth, knowing it has to be done to keep Kyo safe. His face shows no signs of his usual compassion.
Did Kyo just get stabbed? Did he run into another trap? He blinks a couple times. "A means to what ends, Gaius?" His throat feels dry. He wants to shake Gaius and ask him why he was so nice. Their conversations. The time they spent. All that couldn't have been a lie…
"I used you, isn't it clear?" Gaius can’t look Kyo in the eye when he says it.
"No, No. It's not true." Kyo whispers before he suddenly feels a surge of anger, pierced with the sadness from the Phasma’s magic. "If you are going to break me at least look me in the goddamn eyes, Gaius." He approaches the Dark Knight, trying to make eye contact. "After everything we talked about. After everything..." He swings his sword at nothing in particular. Whose side can he even be on? He hates the church too…
Gaius makes it a point not to look at Kyo, no matter how close he is. "Go, don't talk to me or seek me out." He gives the shorter man a gentle push with his hand.
Kyo flinches slightly at the push. Not as hard as how Gaius handled Pius, but it still hurts emotionally. All his life people have seen him as a tool, a thing to be used. Gaius told him he could be more than that…only for him now to be told that the Dark Knight just used him for pleasure and nothing else. He partially believed it—that he could only be a tool and nothing else. Not deserving of love or a life of his own or anything. But he has to hear it, and see Gaius's eyes, to make sure.
"I don't care if you're the Dark Knight. I still love..." His voice catches in his throat. "None of this mattered to me, and you know it." A tear rolls down his cheek. "Gaius, please just look at me. Tell me and look at me—that you used me—and I'll go."
It is at that moment that Badr finally arrives upon the scene: Gaius and Kyo arguing, Cinna attacking Nero, Titus distraught beyond words… It strikes Badr that if Cinna is also attacking the Pontifex Maximus, there's probably a good reason for it. He will think more on that later, though. There's too much chaos. He has to focus. The snow makes things a little confusing, so Badr—in order to avoid walking into an attack—skirts the wall of the tower until he is behind Titus, near his Phasma. He'll have to deal with that, too, but one thing at a time. When he thinks he's safe, he steps forward quickly, slipping his arms around Titus's waist and plastering himself to his back. "Titus..."
Why does it hurt so much? Titus chokes back another sob, his arms trembling with a myriad of emotions. He has to do something. He has to stop the Dark Knight. He has to purge Darkness. He has to...kill his brother. The sensation numbing his hurt and warmth feels strangely comforting. He has to do it. He has to—there is no other way. It is his duty, and for his father's sake he has to— His posture stiffens even more, feeling a pair of familiar arms around him. "Let me go, I have to do something... I..."
Badr holds tighter, shaking his head against Titus's shoulders. The pain in Titus's voice...it makes him feel like something is being torn out of him. His eyes tear, though he keeps his voice from wavering, if only because he speaks very softly. "You can stop now. You don't have to do anything else."
"No, I can't. This is my...this is my duty. I must...stop...no, I have to...end the Dark Knight."
Badr places one hand atop Titus's sword arm. Again, he shakes his head. A few tears escape, matting his lashes before slinking down his cheeks. "You've been so brave and endured so much... You don't have to do anything else. You don't have to kill him. We'll find another way."
Titus grows silent, his arm shaking a bit more. "You don't understand, there is no other way. He's the enemy of Serenitas. You've heard about it—you've seen it! I have to."
Badr is quiet. It will take more than just a few words to explain that Gaius is not the enemy. His hand trails from Titus's arm to his hand, covering it with his own. "You do not have to kill Gaius. He is...Gaius, first and foremost. You know this, too. So it's fine. It's fine to stop now."
"He is the Dark Knight...and just like the Chosen of Light... I have to. It's my duty."
"You do not, and that is okay. Trust me, Titus. Just trust me. You don't have to. You've done more than enough."
"I haven't done anything! He has been lying to us—he hurt Dad, so I have to. Why don't you understand? The world is in peril, so please, please let go."
Badr shakes his head. It is true: Gaius has been lying to them. But he can't believe that Gaius could be the reason the world would come undone. He draws back his hand, wrapping his arm back around Titus's middle. When he was very little, in her final years, Chosen Naseem had often been at his bedside, coaxing him through fevers. She always sang the Song of Healing differently—not like the priests had told him to, not like it had been recorded. She sang it, blended it, with the Song of Sleep. The Song of Sleep, like any song, could be used magically—but it was rarely used as a spell. It was simply the song that ended the day in Simurgh. He begins to sing her song of healing. Instead of the usual haze of gold, a hint of lavender threads through the air.
"What are you—what are you doing?"
"Elou'kh thaymnhe mnou'mn é'lwhéyaza zahe'-nei, zamn'te elayghehth dal fa zaehaymnhe... Thehayza elayghehth y'aw fa whézaeh fahe'el hsu é'l'ouwh, y'ar ba'ymn hsu hemndr fa é'l'ouwh."
Gaius looks away, growing quiet for a moment when he hears Badr's singing. "...Go." His voice softens, pleading, his true desire to keep Kyo safe from his actions ready to burst forth.
Kyo's eyebrows perk as he hears the soft voice. He wants to believe this is the real Gaius, and everything he said before had been a lie. But those words eat away at him from the inside. Rage pushing against sadness is a terrible combination. His tone becomes biting, off-set by another tear escaping his eye. "No. I told you I would protect you. If you can't be big enough to look me in the eye, you can't be big enough to protect yourself."
"Kyo, you mustn't walk the same path as me. Please, go." Gaius speaks in a whisper, hoping the Chosen of Song's voice will conceal them.
Cinna feels the cool tendrils of Badr's song slipping through her and lifting her from where she's fallen, not far from the Dark Knight. Or Gaius, rather.
Chosen of Darkness.
She glances briefly between the prince and Kyoujiro, then looks away until she finds Badr again. Her eyes are hard, but something weak hangs on the edges of her gaze, splinters, then fades. She's no longer safe here, she realizes, only now becoming aware of the full magnitude of what she's done and how she's suddenly positioned herself, publicly and politically.
The sound of soldiers rushing up the staircase echoes from below.
Her gaze flicks back to Gaius. "Time...is of the essence."
The use of ‘Kyo’ causes Kyo to feel somewhat soothed, but not entirely. He knows that tone. The ‘it's final’ tone. And he doesn’t want it to be final. He feels a mix of emotions—sadness, anger, anxiety. Anger wins out, but his tone is not without affection—or pain. "I can't make that promise, but if you must go, just go. You know how I feel." In a dramatic fashion, he sheathes his sword and steps away, turning his back to Gaius.
"Good-bye." Gaius watches Kyo for an instant before turning to Cinna, nodding his head and beginning to gather darkness in his fist.
Just like that? The singing suddenly stops, and Badr moves so that he can see the others properly. "Gaius. Will you really leave him here after he has exposed himself as a heretic?"
"I deceived him."
Kyo places his hands in his sleeves, not looking at Gaius. "He deceived me."
"You only ever deceive yourself," Badr shoots back.
"If you are done trying to shift blame, perhaps you could do something about the real problem at hand." Nero casts a spell at Gaius, who throws up a barrier of darkness to protect himself.
Badr is undeterred. "Gaius...or is it Itzal after all? You always have assumed yourself a step ahead of us, and yet this was your plan? To kill this man and abandon your lover to his fate? Sacrifice yourself in penitence? Were you always such a fool?"
"You speak with nothing but naivety behind your eyes, Chosen of Song, but when are you ever anything but a fawn in a cruel and merciless world?"
Badr steps away from Titus.
Cinna is going with Gaius. Somehow...it is not a surprise. They had been speaking to the same 'Serenitan friend' all along, after all... Cinna would. Yes, Cinna, who is so like Gaius in her steadfast desire to protect what she finds holy... What lengths they could fly, if they only thought there might be a brighter sky beyond the horizon. He watches her solemnly. Will she say it was for him in the end? Just as Gaius will say it was for the world? What fools they are... To not believe in a better path. To believe that there must only be misery and sacrifice, hardship and evil fares to be paid...
Perhaps he is no more than a fawn in this cruel and merciless world, but it was this man, though he might be evil after all—this Nero—who reminded Badr of what it was that faith truly meant. Whatever the source, the words resonated. He will carry hope with him. He will not walk such a tragic path, and he will not see anyone else walk it either.
"You will not repeat the past, my friend. Whatever comes next, I will ensure that we walk a different path. We will see whose will can change this world."
"You are welcome to try and stop me, like the fool you are, but fate is inevitable, and my resolve unwavering."
Gaius begins to speak in Ilunabarrean, words flowing one after another in a brief melody. "Come forth, oh Lord of the Shadows, Nyx!" From underneath his armor, his purple pendant shines brilliantly, and the shadows gather to open a door to a large creature that looks like a black panther with blue eyes. He jumps onto its back, offering his hand to Cinna.
Kyo stands firm, clenching his jaw, realizing what he has just said and done. He can’t go with Gaius as much as he wants to. He is the heir apparent. He has a country to lead. He listens to the conversation, but can’t think of what to say. No, Gaius made up his mind. Gaius is a stubborn idiot who wants to protect everyone but himself. Kyo works hard to rebuild his mask—as someone unfeeling and regal and of humility because now...he has been outed.
Badr says nothing, only regards Gaius and Cinna silently, his chin lifted and gaze resolute.
Cinna never takes her eyes from Badr, even as she reaches to take Gaius's hand. She hopes Gaius is right. This isn't what she wanted. But, all the same, this is more important than anything any of them have ever wanted. And Cinna believes this. So it's with an unflinching but pained expression that she mounts at the side of Darkness.
"If you are finally done heartfully monologuing, we have to go." Nyx races and heads to the very edge of the floor, jumping carelessly into the air, at first free falling before spreading out wings, flying as fast as he can.
With a metal clank, Titus slumps onto the ground, finally crying his heart out.
Badr waits until Cinna is on the creature. He intends to turn to Kyo and say they have to do something smart—like run—but the sound of metal hitting the ground startles him. He turns to look down at Titus, weeping. He can hear the soldiers coming towards them, but…instead of running, he kneels before Titus, offering his arms.
Kyo seethes as he hears the sound of Gaius leaving. He tries to force the tears away. He can hear the guards coming and knows he has to leave. Finally, he turns to see Badr with Titus. That will be fine. Titus is the hero. He’ll protect Badr. But Kyo has to go. He attempts to slip down the stairs to escape the tower.
"And the villains got away. I understand your hesitancy, as that man used to be your dear friend, but I expected better from the Chosen." Nero stands between the exit and the rest of the group, addressing them with unnatural calmness.
Titus looks to Nero then back at Badr before hesitantly accepting his help.
Badr does not look at the Pontifex Maximus, he only pulls Titus closer. There had to be a reason that Cinna and Gaius were attacking that man. His mind feels jumbled, and he is afraid of what will happen next... He cannot spare a thought for it. For now, he cradles Titus and waits to see if Nero will have them detained.
Kyo stops in his tracks as the High Priest blocks his exit. A look of disgust crosses his features before he looks away. "I'm sorry, Holy Father." He doesn’t mean it, though. "We were deceived." He narrows his eyes.
"I understand. I was fooled, too, but now he can't do that anymore," Nero replies.
"What do you mean?" Kyo swallows. "Holy Father." He tries to not darken his tone, but it is considerably hard. Thoughts race through his head, and he can barely catch even one.
"Now that we understand his true nature, well...I'm certain this mistake won't be repeated.”
"Forgive me, Father, for asking, but what actions will be taken?"
"He has taken and harmed the king, attacked the light crystal—I'm certain it will be handled accordingly. For now, rest easy. There will be matters to be discussed once the rabble is contained in the city."
Kyo sighs, his brow furrowed. This doesn’t sound quite like what he and Gaius spoke about. Something seems off, and he can’t point out what. But then again, everything he thought he understood isn’t entirely correct.
"Are we allowed to leave the tower?" he asks.
Badr listens, biting his tongue on the unhelpful things he wants to say. There is nothing he can say that won't cause both him and Kyo more problems. Worse, there is nothing that he can say that will alleviate any of Titus's, and so he remains quiet, but bristling.
Titus had begun to cling to Badr, crying all out and dampening his clothes with tears.
Kyo nods a couple times and bows. "Thank you, holy father. Let me express gratitude and also sadness at what has hit this great country." He swallows a few times as he tries to maintain his princely mask.
Kyo is good at being a prince when he tries. Badr is impressed. He can only imagine what is going through Kyo's head at a time like this, and yet the prince has kept his composure. Gaius, he thinks, was foolish for leaving him behind. Or perhaps wise. Perhaps he understands that the prince of Guren does have the will of fire...and would get in his way. Gaius has to have had a purpose in all of this, even if it is, as Itzal's, bullheaded and wrong in Baldr's eyes. Nero is not a man to be trusted, and he will need to take himself and his own out of the church's sphere of influence as soon as possible. The only problem is, how will he get Titus to come with him...?
Badr presses a single kiss to the top of Titus's head, wishing he could somehow funnel all that pain into himself, field it for the prince. What evil machinations have led to this day? What did they miss when the projection cut? Things don’t add up… Yet. Maybe they will when he can actually think, but right now, he only wants to comfort Titus. He is afraid to leave the room, because he is afraid that Nero will put himself in between them when he does, and so he clings, unwilling to speak and betray his feelings, unwilling to move, because he knows that when he does... He shivers at the dread.
Nero nods his head, turning to look at the prince and the priest of Simurgh. "We shouldn't remain here. For your...our safety, we must go somewhere else."
Both of Titus' hands clutch the back of Badr's shirt.
Kyo looks over to Badr to see if he could figure out what the Chosen of Song is thinking. His expression turns dark almost immediately, like a light switch, as soon as Nero looks away from him. He feels his emotions dull, like his ability to feel has shorted out.
The King is gone—perhaps mortally wounded; regardless, well out of reach. Nero has, it seems, put down a coup. The High Priest will want to talk to Titus. He will want to groom Titus. As Badr looks at Nero, he can only think of one reason that Gaius would make such an effort to kill a man.
They'd have to be incredibly selfish.
They should leave the tower, but he is afraid of the moment when Nero will pull Titus away. If only he could open up his own portal, drag Kyo and Titus and the unconscious knight into it and escape this place.
"Titus..." But what Badr wants to say is too complex for the buzzing in his head. He looks at Kyo, his own expression as flat as he can make it. He is not sure what they will need to do next, only that there will be a next, and they will have to act quickly when it comes. He hopes that Kyo understands. It is not something they can speak of before Nero. He turns back to Titus and presses another kiss to the top of his head. "I'm sorry."
Titus nods his head, reluctantly loosening his hold and pulling back. "It's not your fault... I..."
"Our people will need their prince, you have to be strong, Your Highness,” Nero interjects.
Kyo inclines his head slightly towards Badr before looking to Titus. He always felt a little annoyed by everything the prince did, but he holds his tongue on that front. After all, he knows that Titus loves Gaius too. He keeps his mouth closed.
Badr runs his hand over Titus's head once more. "It's okay now. Just breathe." For half a second, his lips purse. There is more he wants to say, but it is hard to say it with Nero looming over them. He looks away and then leans in to whisper in the prince's ear: "You have the truest heart in the world. Have faith in that. Have faith and follow it."
Titus slowly nods his head before nodding again with more confidence. "Thank you... Thank you for trusting me. I promise you that I will always follow it."
Badr nods, standing and offering Titus a hand—though he thinks perhaps the prince will not require it. He looks around at what remains. His gaze settles on Kyo. He wants, more than anything, to run to Gaius's bedroom, grab whatever they can before the church guards seize upon it, but…he doubts Gaius would have left a paper trail anyway. He bites back a sigh and then looks up at Titus, nodding with a little smile. If nothing else, he can trust in that.
"I think we are...ready."
Titus takes the hand, squeezing it gently, but he doesn't really need the assistance.
Kyo sighs, his eyes getting teary again at Titus and Badr. It reminds him that Gaius just left him, but also, it really must be tough to be Titus—their personal rivalry or not. He nods in agreement with Badr, but chooses to not say anything more either.
"Let us go, then,” Nero concludes. “The fight downstairs is now under control."