The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies.
He was not meant to know. He was not meant to see the betrayal rising up against him.
But Raizel saw.
He saw the intentions of those around him. He knew of their motives. Once, maybe hundreds of years ago, he could have counted them as allies, maybe even friends. But not now. Not when there was so much distrust and ulterior motives hidden beneath the surface.
The tension. The wariness. The fear. The lust. It was all directed at him. Tension because of what they tried to hide from him. Wariness for who he was. Fear for what he could do. Lust for his power. All of these were emotions stemming from their souls that poisoned his mind as he tolerated their presence.
It hurt. It hurt because that was the company he kept. They were the individuals that he attracted, that frequented his presence. He knew of the upcoming betrayal they planned, he knew that his life was now a burden to them. They were tired of him. They feared him. It was only because they needed to monitor him that they visited him so frequently.
Still, he could not deny that it was nice to receive visitors.
The hatred was blindingly hot. It burned at his mind, his Noble soul recoiling, not from the hate directed at him, but mainly at the hate consuming the individual. Possession, and so much jealousy tainted the air. Raizel had never known what jealousy felt like until Urokai displayed it in such potent waves whenever he visited.
The jealousy was not directed at Raizel himself, and he knew it. Rather, Frankenstein received all of the anger, hate, and malice. But it was because Frankenstein was with him. It was because Raizel had taken the human into his household and cared for him. There was a genuine concern for Raizel's safety that Urokai felt, yet it was warped beneath all of the malice. But Raizel would not turn the human away just to appease anyone.
The hatred eventually turned to murderous rage.
And that rage soon manifested against Raizel.
Raizel could bear it. He could not help that he wanted to protect the human. In fact, he would not have it any other way. He just could not commune his desire to Urokai in a way that would appease the twisted emotions slowly morphing the young Noble.
He could only continue to disappoint and drive Urokai away.
Edian had ceased visiting.
Her absence was noted. Her emotions, wild like Urokai's, were still soft and endearing. Her intentions changed overtime, but they never bore any ill will. So, Raizel allowed himself to gradually tolerate her presence.
And then...she ceased to visit.
The days were lonely once more.
Her emotions were in turmoil, mostly towards him. She was avoiding him. It was all on him. She had stopped coming because of him.
He wished he knew why. Why had she felt such feelings towards him? How could he amend whatever he had done to drive her away? How could he know what he had done wrong if he was not told?
But she never offered an explanation.
Roctis was hesitant. There was something weighing down on his mind. Raizel could feel the burden from within confine the Noble. It was only a matter of time, Raizel knew, before Roctis would speak up. But whatever Roctis had to say was also the reason for his despair.
Why was he filled with despair, Raizel wondered. Was it for him? Did he despair for Raizel? Words remained lost to him, and he did not know how he could soothe the devastation crushing Roctis. So, Raizel chose to say nothing. He chose to maintain his distance.
Somehow, he felt as if he had sealed his fate with his distance.
But he would not push Roctis to convey his feelings. Though it was obvious to him that the Noble was troubled, Raizel could also sense that he was not ready to talk. So, he had waited for when Roctis finally felt ready.
And finally, that moment came.
"I will not be coming to see you for a while."
Raizel turned to look at him. Pain filled his heart as he looked at the Noble standing before him. Roctis' red eyes were heavy, almost dark with turmoil.
"I'm sorry." For some reason, that expression was so heavy with what was left unsaid.
Raizel's expression softened, even as his heart hardened for what was to come. "That's nothing to be sorry about."
The indifferent mask Roctis wore began to crack, displaying the slightest emotion of regret as he smiled ruefully. "I just wanted to tell you this."
Raizel would not see him again for another 820 years.
Raizel felt that Zarga was always a quiet one. He was reserved and dignified, yet he was often thinking. His mind was always busy sorting through information and even mentally arguing with himself. It amused Raizel to sense Zarga expand his knowledge and even challenge himself to think about the laws and customs of Lukedonia. This was good, Raizel thought. The Lord was encouraging the need for change, and Zarga seemed to be reforming himself and slowly adapting to that change.
Raizel silently encouraged the change within the Siriana Family Leader.
Until Zarga's mind was filled with agonizing turmoil.
Raizel did not know when it had happened. He did not know when Zarga began to poison himself with his own doubt. It concerned Raizel, because the arguments Zarga would have with himself only drove him to feel grief and guilt. There was nothing wrong with questioning anything, yet Raizel sensed Zarga struggling with his own morals.
The conflict was tearing Zarga apart. His feelings, his morals clashed with what made him a Noble. Yet he remained resilient, silently warring within himself.
Raizel knew it was only a matter of time before Zarga would lose the fight within himself.
Enough was enough.
"There is nothing wrong with changing," Raizel had stated softly. He was alone with the Siriana Noble. His window was open, allowing the spring breeze to carry in the scent of the earth. Raizel watched as the flower swayed in the wind, the dainty petals battling to stay attached to the tall stem. "Changing is good for living," Raizel said. Finally, he glanced back at Zarga.
He felt Zarga hesitate. He could feel Zarga's words rising up within him, ready to speak what he had so desperately tried to bury.
Then, he quashed it.
And Raizel, in sadness, watched him leave.
Raizel never understood what it was about himself that interested Gradeus so much. Always hyper, Gradeus presented a cocky air that Raizel was unsure how to respond to. It came as no surprise to the Noblesse how Gradeus would limit his visits. Raizel would, maybe, receive a visit from Gradeus every two-hundred years. But when he did visit every few hundred years, it was always loud in the mansion.
Gradeus was not loud on purpose. It was just who he was. Sharp tongued, his speeches were often composed of scoffs and complaints against what was going on in life. The sky may as well be blue, and Gradeus had a comment against it.
Nevertheless, Raizel listened.
He listened to the insincerity, to the carelessness. He listened to the emotions that revealed more than any silvery word springing from the Noble's lips ever could. But most of all, he listened to the bloodlust. Gradeus was wild, and Raizel saw nothing wrong with Gradeus being himself. It was the lack of empathy when he wielded his power that concerned Raizel. Gradeus was restricted from using his power to the maximum; they all were. But Gradeus was a special case. His Soul Weapon was just as wild as its owner. So uncontrollable, Gradeus' Soul Weapon needed to conceal its true form. Raizel could feel Gradeus' frustration at not being able to push his power to the limits. Gradeus felt confined, a feeling that Raizel could understand. Such mutual understandings should have at least encouraged familiarity between them.
But Raizel had no desire to use his power, unlike Gradeus. The situations for them to use their powers to the fullest extent were rare, and even then, their Soul Weapons were not needed. Whatever power they wished to use, they would use for sparring matches.
But it was never enough for Gradeus. He wanted more. He was addicted to the power that his Soul Weapon wielded. He craved for battle, and it was a craving Raizel knew that was wrong. To bring death to others for the sake of pleasure was outright cruelty, and usually called for Raizel's judgment. Raizel's power only brought death, yet he never took pleasure in what his powers could do. But Gradeus was never satisfied with the sparring matches. He craved something more, something real. His bloodlust called out to him, fueling him.
And that bloodlust was directed at Raizel.
Raizel felt that Largus was a bit unique. He was a logical, reserved person. Outgoing and caring, everyone felt as if they could trust him. His body was worn from hunching over a desk for hundreds of years, working on concoctions and other hobbies of his. As a result, his straight back was permanently hunched over. But that did not diminish, in Raizel's eyes, the regal image of Largus.
It was the sinister darkness corrupting his heart that warped his Noble soul.
Curiosity itself was not a bad thing. Raizel could not deny that he was curious about the objects of his interest as well. So, he did not blame Largus for obtaining such curiosity towards what he called science and various experiments, even if his morbid fascinations were a bit disturbing. However, Raizel recoiled away from the hungry desire that Largus was drowning in. He pursued his curiosity with vigilance, often entertaining thoughts that he as a Noble should have eradicated from his soul a long time ago.
"A Noble power that can be taken, forcefully if need be."
It was a tempting offer, a seed in Largus' mind that grew into a weed, choking at his heart and warping his morals. Raizel felt as if he first became aware of Largus' interest in humans when Frankenstein first displayed his out of control power with Dark Spear. Raizel could not deny his inner desire to shield Frankenstein from such scrutiny. Frankenstein was one human Largus would not have.
As the Noblesse, Raizel would put Largus in his place if he ever stepped out of line to entertain his desires.
To his relief, Largus soon grew bored with the idea of studying humans. Raizel could sense the sudden shift in Largus' interest. Soon, it was not the humans that fascinated Largus with their power. Humans were too weak for the Tradio Family Leader to waste time on anyway. They had no power of their own.
The power of the Noblesse would suffice.
As those thoughts filled Largus, Raizel could only close his eyes with regret. At least the humans were spared from anymore dark intentions.
"Do you hate me?"
"Do you want me to die?"
"You want me to die because of what I am."
"But what about what I could be? Could we be friends? Would you still want me dead?"
All this, he wished he could convey to them. But he could not be what he was not. He was the Noblesse. He was not meant to get attached, no matter what the Lord wanted.
He had been attached once.
And he had killed his brother.
"You hate me."
"You want me to die."
"I can never be what you want. For that, you could never see me as a friend because I am not who you want. You will still want me dead."
He was the Noblesse. He was not the Lord, or a Family Leader. He had no clan to rule over. He had executed his own family. He could not trust his frequent visitors. He was the Noblesse, chained to his duties to protect the weak, and even protect the Nobles from themselves. He was to defend the Noble name by any means necessary, even if it meant killing when he did not want to.
But he had to.
As the Noblesse, he would act when he needed to. Reading the emotions and intentions of others was not enough of a reason for him to enact a punishment. Even as the others fueled their ill feelings towards him, they had harmed no one. As long as no one was harmed, he would restrain his power, even if those ill intentions were directed at himself.
Even if harm was directed his way.
He was called to fulfill his duty as the Noblesse. He was called to defend the weak.
He was called to fight his best friend.
Muzaka was the only one who sought Raizel out for curiosity and companionship. Power meant nothing to Muzaka, for he already had that. Authority was meaningless because he was already an unchallengeable werewolf Lord, the strongest one in their history.
But friendship...that was something he pursued, and he found that in the Noblesse.
And it was that friendship that perished with Muzaka's daughter.
Rage, hatred, grief, and pain. Muzaka was filled with all, and so much more erratic emotions that Raizel nearly felt himself drowning in his friends' sorrow. Raizel was given no time to grieve, to ease his friend's suffering.
The werewolf was beyond reasoning.
Raizel was called to fulfill his duties as the Noblesse, and if need be, to kill his best friend.
Raizel was to die. It was the only way that would bring everyone peace.
The realization hurt him. Did he have to give his life to bring happiness to the only beings in his life that tried to visit him?
Maybe it was for the best. After all, he only brought out the worst in people; the Nobles were proof of that. He only continued to hurt the ones he loved; Muzaka was proof of that. Maybe, Raizel thought, it would be best for him to perish. Without his presence, Frankenstein may avoid the same fate as everyone else.
His heart wept with pain. Would his bonded really suffer because of him? He did not want to think such thoughts. He had faith in Frankenstein. But, just as with Muzaka, would Raizel be forced to harm Frankenstein as well?
His own bonded?
His brother, his comrades, his best friend, and his bonded...would it be better if he just vanished?
With a tired sigh, Raizel closed his eyes.
"I am sorry."