Started: February 7, 2004
Finished: April 11, 2004
Change
He knew who the newest prisoner was before he had even laid eyes on him.
The laughter that resonated throughout the marble hallways was chillingly familiar, and he felt his hands curls into loose fists at his sides. Training his face into its façade of unbreakable calm, Albert Silverberg strode through the Circle Palace with a pair of personal guards. It was uncommon for him to come within a hundred meters of the palace dungeons, but he had been "asked for" by the newest prisoner. Passing through the well-kept dungeons and several of its tenants, the young man could not help but notice the laughter dying down with each step closer.
For better or for worse, his presence had been sensed.
He dismissed his guards as he approached the cell, ordering them to stay near the entrance of the dungeons until he was prepared to leave. There was something strange about peering into the cell at the man clothed entirely in black; something distinctly unsettling, especially with the way the prisoner leered at him. For the briefest of moments, Albert felt as if he were the one imprisoned, being scrutinized and trapped under the other's gaze.
"Yuber."
The blonde looked faintly amused to see the young Silverberg, leaning against the far wall and not greeting the strategist verbally. "What are you doing here, Yuber?"
Albert waited patiently for the other to reply, raising a brow when he was met with absolute silence. Although he tried not to let the black knight get to him, Albert understood that Yuber could maintain his unnerving silence until his patience began to fray -- simply because watching him unravel would amuse the blonde profusely. With that in mind, the strategist cleared his throat and spoke again.
"I never expected to see someone like you behind bars."
There was another silence that stretched out for several moments. Albert was in the process of opening his mouth when Yuber finally responded, raising a hand to adjust his hat. "You can never expect much from 'someone like me.'" From the tone alone, Albert could tell the blonde was amused. "I'm as unexpected as they come."
Now more confident that the demon was capable and willing to answer, Albert repeated his first question. "What are you doing here?"
Yuber was quiet, his face melting into an unreadable mask as he stood there. The silence stretched on between the two, and several moments passed before Albert jerked out of his reverie to frown at the blonde. "If you choose not to talk, Yuber, I don't see the point of you asking for my presence here."
The black-clad man raised his head slightly, shifting against the wall nonchalantly. "That's all I asked."
Albert blinked at the quiet comment, staring at the blonde as if expecting more of an answer. But Yuber disappointed him, turning away and walking to the side of his cell where a small cot was shoved up against the stones. While Albert watched on, the demon climbed onto the bed and rolled to face the wall, blatantly ignoring the redhead.
Shaking his head in disgust and mild frustration, Albert turned to exit the dungeons. Let him act the prisoner all he wants. There's nothing keeping him from leaving if he wants to.
Albert was not used to being wrong, but he accepted the mistake with grace and a stoic face. He was more than a little surprised to discover that Yuber, in fact, could not leave the cell under his own power.
"A mixture of runic power and the seals studied from the Sindarian ruins," Dios explained dryly. "That demon won't be getting out any time soon."
"Since when have these seals been around?" the strategist inquired, looking at the Chief of Staff intently. "I've never heard of them before."
"With good reason," the older man stated, looking at Albert with a fair amount of disdain. "Considering your ties with the Destroyers during the war, no one would dare tell you about the precautions we've made to stop something like that from happening again."
The young Silverberg nodded slowly, holding his chin thoughtfully as he sat across from the Harmonian. "But Luc and Sarah are both dead, and now you have Yuber. Is there any reason to keep it from me now?"
"No, I suppose not," relented Dios, frowning slightly. "Due to the newly-placed seals, anyone that tries to teleport into Harmonia will be funneled into Crystal Valley -- into the dungeons. The specially-made cells can withstand the power of a True Rune."
"Your old friend will be staying there for a long time, Mr. Silverberg."
He found himself visiting the demon more often than he would have liked to admit to himself. Sometimes he would speak to the blonde, his voice full of a haughtiness he simply could not feel while he was around the demon. It frustrated him to think that the being with mismatched eyes on the other side of the bars could cause the humility that had been forced upon himself, especially knowing how powerless Yuber actually was behind the bars.
Other times that he visited, Albert would find the captive curled up on the bed, his faced towards him. The first few times that he visited, the young man tried to speak to the blonde and was only met with silence. So, on those visits, Albert would watch the still figure from a distance, as silent as the pale swordsman. Whenever he turned to leave, the strategist found himself feeling eyes on him. He somehow did not doubt that Yuber was always watching him, even with his back turned.
His visits continued for two weeks, and he never noticed any difference in Yuber's disposition. The blonde seemed as nonchalant as ever, endlessly patient and never complaining as he spoke to the young Silverberg. He somehow seemed at ease talking to the demon, although the demon's manner should had gotten on his nerve in the hour he set aside to talk to Yuber each day.
It became routine. Albert found himself looking forward to that hour everyday.
However, the first break in this routine brought on a drastic change from the first two weeks.
He had a late meeting that day. Dedicated as he was to his job, Albert found himself thinking about his former 'employee,' locked away for however long the bishops wanted him there while they discussed his fate. When the meeting ran more than an hour late, he made his way through the palace towards the dungeons, only to find himself stopped by half a dozen temple guards.
"What is going on here?" He tried to look past the heavily-armed guards, frowning as he heard screams from the dungeons.
"The demon … lost control," murmured one of the guards, his eyes hidden behind his visor. "We don't know why, sir. No one wants to get near the cell, though."
"Lost control? Yuber?" Green eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Was he threatened or harassed?"
The same guard replied. "No one has been near him all day, sir. Since he doesn't require food, it's rare for him to be checked up on. He just started shouting and screaming."
Growling under his breath, Albert passed by the guards and down into the dungeons, ignoring their calls and making his way closer and closer to the source of the enraged shouting. As he reached the cell, he was startled to hear the screaming immediately die down.
Somehow Yuber had torn apart an almost-bare prison cell. Even knowing the demon's abilities and temperament, Albert was more than a bit shocked by the sight of the beddings torn asunder and the broken bed frame.
In the center of it all, the blonde demon laid on his back with his arms splayed to either side. Eyes shut and hat missing underneath the shredded remnants of blankets, the demon looked strangely vulnerable in his completed holocaust.
"You're late, Silverberg."
Albert was not especially shocked to hear the blonde speak, but the forced calm in the demon's voice was enough to keep his attention. "You were waiting for me? I'm surprised you noticed my absence." In truth, he was not very surprised by the demon's sense of time; he seemed to be the only break of monotony in the demon's imprisoned life as it was. What he was surprised about was his own desire to visit Yuber everyday. How could the demon have that kind of control on his life even from his prison cell?
Yuber rolled his eyes and sat up, leaning back on one hand. "In case you weren't aware, Silverberg, I came here to see you. But don't let it go to your head. Your ego is rather inflated as it is."
Albert growled in irritation, crossing his arms as he gazed down at the demon. "And in case you weren't aware, you're the one locked in a prison cell. If I were you, I'd mind my tongue."
"I don't see the need to," the demon smirked, tossing back his hair indignantly. "You can't do anything from your side of the bars. Besides, I can't help what my tongue does when you're in my presence."
"Cut to the chase, Yuber. Why did you want to see me?"
Yuber sighed and shifted so that he was resting on his side, propping his head up with his hand. "Such naïvety. I just wanted to avail myself of your delectable body."
Albert's eyes narrowed considerably at the crude comment, frowning at the demon. "If you're going to be obnoxious, Yuber, I'll remove myself from your presence." He combed a hand through his hair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Despite what you may say, you're behind those bars because of your own carelessness. Anything that happens to you is your own fault."
Laughter filled the air, somehow harsher than any of the screaming Yuber had done earlier. He turned his mismatched eyes on the redhead, smirking even as he continued to lounge on the floor in the midst of destroyed furniture. "Keep telling yourself that. When something bad happens to me, just remember that I wouldn't be here if it weren't because of you."
"I never asked you to show interest."
"That's amusing to hear, considering you do the same. I never asked you to show up every day."
Their first talk came back to mind, and Albert found himself murmuring his thoughts aloud, "You asked for me to be here. And so here I am."
Yuber paused, an unreadable expression on his face. It soon disappeared, replaced by a fair amount of frustration. "It's still your choice to come." And yet you get angry when he doesn't show up on time for the first time, he berated himself.
Any further words between the two were interrupted by the sounds of approaching people. Albert turned to see four guards dressed in the Harmonian uniform walking towards them. Behind him, Yuber sat up fully, his brow furrowing. "What do they want now?"
"I don't know..." Albert murmured. "Just keep your mouth shut. I'll deal with this." He straightened the lapels of his coat, making himself look as regal as possible as he turned to address the guards. "Is there something I can help you with, gentlemen? Do you require something of the prisoner?"
"The bishops have asked that you leave," said the first one.
Albert's face crinkled in confusion. "Did they say why?"
"I am just a messenger, sir," replied the guard, shaking his head. "You'll have to ask them yourself if you want information." Albert frowned and stepped back towards the cell.
"I'm not leaving until I know what they intend to do with him." He glanced at Yuber, who was gripping the bars and grinning out at the guards. "I must object to any harm they might cause him."
"Then we will have no choice but to remove you by force," the guard snapped.
"Wait."
Albert averted his attention from the soldiers to look at the new arrival. "Bishop Sasarai," he acknowledged quietly, nodding.
Sasarai maintained a steady countenance, barely noticing the saluting soldiers as he looked at the white-coated strategist. "You've been told to remove yourself, Sir Silverberg. That's an order."
"You'll have to forgive my curiosity," Albert said dryly, sounding neither curious or apologetic, "but I think I have a right to know what's going to happen to the demon."
"Don't act like I'm not here," Yuber grumbled, his eyes trailing away from the wary guards to Albert and Sasarai. He continued to grip the bars, feigning lack of interest in his own welfare.
"When you're given an order, a soldier usually follows that order," Sasarai declared, blatantly ignoring Yuber.
Do I look like a soldier to you? Albert resisted the urge to speak his mind, his hands clenching for a moment before he forced himself to relax. "I'm not leaving until I know what you plan to do."
"Because you still feel kinship to a demon you employed as a Destroyer?" Sasarai hissed scathingly, his voice low and barely audible. "You can be branded traitorous if you continue, Silverberg."
The redhead's eyes narrowed. "All I ask for is an answer."
Sasarai did not attempt to hide his sigh of irritation, and he looked squarely at the redhead as he crossed his arms. "The demon must be disciplined for his war crimes. We've decided that we will take away his True Rune and administer suitable punishment."
"Is the removal of his Rune alone not suitable punishment?" Albert asked, brow furrowing. "I would even say that's going too far. He will weaken and most likely die without it."
The bishop smiled coldly, his eyes moving to lock onto Yuber, who was still gripping the bars of his cell, no longer looking amused. "That is the point, Silverberg. He has caused much destruction in the past several centuries, and we simply can't allow him to roam freely any longer."
"But... to kill him?" Albert said incredulously.
"He has killed thousands," Sasarai replied coolly. "I don't find it hard to believe that he should be killed in return. Now, get out of the way or you'll be forcibly removed."
Albert did not immediately react, still staring at the bishop as if he expected the older man to smile and take back everything he had just said. He squared his jaw and held his ground, watching Sasarai sigh and roll his eyes at his resistance. Yuber was the one to break the silence, cackling. "Mortals. You can't even agree on what to do with the chaos bringer."
Sasarai glanced at the blonde. "Bite your tongue, demon, or you'll soon be losing it."
Yuber's smile was feral. "You'll have to get pretty damn close to get my tongue, bishop." His mismatched eyes glittered evilly even as the Harmonians around tensed warily.
"Guards, take Sir Silverberg away and confine him to his room," Sasarai drawled, frowning at the blonde and taking his frustration out on Albert with a green-eyed glare.
Albert's eyes widened slightly at Sasarai's order, and he scowled as he was roughly grabbed by the armored guards. He shook them off and straightened his lapels, aiming a cold glare at Sasarai before storming down the hallway and out of the dungeons.
The brown-haired bishop watched the guards and Albert disappear down the corridor, a smirk appearing on his face as he beheld the imprisoned demon. "The others will be here shortly. You better prepare yourself for the inevitable."
Yuber sneered. "The inevitable? I hardly think you could do anything to harm me."
"So you say now, demon. I can assure you that you will think quite differently once we're through with you." Sasarai turned when he heard footsteps, seeing the other bishops approaching from down the hall. "And here they come now. Are you frightened yet?"
"I'm not afraid of anything," Yuber scoffed, though he could not hide the glint of unease in his eyes.
Sasarai chuckled darkly, turning away from the demon as the bishops lined up around the cell. Yuber stared up at the mass of blue bodies, backing away from the bars and baring his teeth in a snarl when Sasarai stepped forward and unlocked the cell door. As soon as the door opened, Yuber launched himself forward, knocking the small man aside as he aimed to break through the row of bishops blocking his exit.
"Detain him."
The soft voice was barely heard over the din created by Yuber's scuffling against the bishops, but the eight bishops surrounded Yuber without hesitation. Even as Yuber struck out against one of the eight, another would quickly close the gap that was created until the other was able to recover. Sasarai's voice filled the blonde's ears as the blue-robed men closed in. "There's no escaping, demon. You can't even teleport away."
One of the bishops kicked Yuber behind the knees, driving the tall man to his knees on the stone floor. Yuber grabbed hold of the first foot that tried to strike him in the stomach, but was unable to avoid the inevitable blow that landed him on his back. Gasping for air, the demon glared and struggled as his limbs were restrained, two men holding him down by each arm and leg. "Bastards… You can't do anything to me!" hissed Yuber, mismatched eyes flaring as he struggled.
"How wrong you are."
It was the same soft voice as before, and the dark-clad demon tilted his head to stare at the speaker. Dressed in the same garbs as the other bishops, the only thing distinctly different about this man was the veil that obscured his face completely. Yuber's eyes narrowed as he concentrated his attention on this man, sensing something powerful within the veiled figure.
He had no time to think about it further, as the soft voice began to speak. This time, his words flowed in an archaic chant, and with each word came a stab of pain that damaged the demon to the very depths of his soul.
He gasped, for it was a pain quite unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was a blinding pain that burned white behind his eyes, stretching around his skull like an iron clamp. It reached down into his chest, squeezing around his lungs and choking him, filling his insides with fire and reaching down into the lower regions of his body.
Most of it was centred in his hand, as if something were trying to angrily claw its way out of his flesh. He perceived, as if from a distance, that he was screaming, though he was not fully able to register that it was his own voice he was hearing over the chanting of the veiled figure.
The veiled bishop was the only one left standing, his hands held aloft as he spoke in an ancient tongue not immediately recognizable by Yuber. He held still for a moment as he thought about why the words sounded familiar, but quickly redoubled his efforts to break away from the mortals that held him down. Yuber snarled and shouted angrily against the pain spreading through his body, turning his head slightly as blinding light was emanated from the figure standing over him.
"Destroy the seal."
Through the haze of pain that threatened to knock him into unconsciousness, Yuber was unable to completely comprehend the gravity of the command. He arched and screamed as the agony that streamed through his right hand to his body became unbearable, jerking violently as his very soul threatened to wither under the pressure. Yuber's eyes opened impossibly wide as the chanting bishop bent over him, his demonic eye twitching as the robed man tore open his black jacket to reveal ebon rivulets of power writhing over the blonde's chest like ethereal veins.
Again, the bishop interrupted his ancient chant to command. "Release the rune."
The very air ignited with this second command, and Yuber's screams transformed and came in agonized silence. Face twisted in soundless suffering, the man stiffened as tendrils of blackness flowed from his body to snake around the bishop's outstretched hands. There was another flash of light, and the chaotic energy changed into an eternal loop as it was captured in a True Rune container.
The Eightfold Rune had been extracted.
"Break him apart."
The final command was meant to be the finishing blow -- the final chant to tear apart the demonic bearer of the rune. Unlike the bearer of the True Wind Rune, this masked bishop had knowledge in magic that could ruin Yuber utterly. The magic bombarded the demon without pause, the barrage greatly weakening Yuber's struggles.
For the first time in his existence, Yuber succumbed to tears. He would not be able to stop crying for a long time.