~ Chapter Seven: The Final Farewell ~
Pally stormed down the empty hallway, his mind completely taken over by ire. Upon arriving at the ministers' council room, he slammed the wooden door open, leaving a deep crack in the wall, and a loud sound vibrating through the large room. He quickly surveyed the white-marble room, noticing that the large, rounded oak-wood table and matching chairs for meetings had been removed.
"My, my. Your highness, it is very impolite to barge into a room in such a manner. And pray, might I ask, what happened to your suit? Your tailors will be very upset to see its current state."
The furious prince turned to face the speaker at the other end of the room – a tall man with messy brown hair and fierce, golden eyes; wearing the silver and red armor of the infamous Red Knights, and the vibrant crimson cape of Hamel's Royal Ministers. Pally straightened his back, glaring at the un-amused man like a wolf to a rabbit.
"You!" He spat out harshly. "Were you the one who harmed my personal servant?"
The man chuckled lightly, a small grin faintly visible on his lips.
"Your highness, we of the royal minsters aim to provide you with the highest quality of life one can possibly attain. It is inexcusable to allow the position of your personal assistant to be taken by such a worthless—"
"Chaser is not worthless!"
Pally was absolutely furious. He did not care that the offenders were his own ministers. Rather, he was more angered by the fact that they had and was willing to harm and degrade his precious friend. He clenched his fists and continued to attack the man with intense acrimony,
"I will not allow you to continue casting such aspersion onto my servant. I demand you apologize for your insolence behavior, at once!"
For a brief moment, silence passed between the two. The taller, and evidently older man then raised his right hand slightly and, chuckling eerily, swung it down. At the simple gesture, a short man clad in black leapt out from the shadows, aiming a long but thin sword at the prince's defenseless back.
Used to such actions from his own assassin, Pally quickly turned around and grabbed the man's bladed wrist, clenching it tightly as he pried the blade loose. Without a moment to spare, he twisted the man's arm in a humanly impossible way, and forced the sword to pierce directly through his throat. Ignoring the man's cries of agony, Pally pulled the blade out, flicking the blood off as the man fell and convulsed in silent anguish before shortly passing away. He turned to face the man before him, locking his flaming blue eyes with emotionless golden ones. He spoke slowly, his voice full of venom,
"What is the meaning of this?"
The man bowed mockingly.
"It is to prepare you with a blade, your highness, for the events that are yet to follow."
"The events that follow…?"
The prince received no answer. He watched as the older man raised his left hand, and snapped. Almost instantly, he was surrounded by dozens of various blades pointing straight at him. He quickly glanced around, noticing many fighters – fifty or so – approximately the size of a small front-lines army, resolutely obeying the golden-eyed minister. Common assassins, thieves, bandits, mercenaries, soldiers from Velder, even soldiers from his own Imperial Army. Pally growled lowly in irritation, his pounding heart demanding for bloodshed.
"I will inquire once more – what is the meaning of this? Have you no shame for your family name?"
The golden-eyed man laughed menacingly.
"Your highness, I do not believe you are in the position to be inquiring about topics other than your safety."
Pally scoffed, raising his left hand to place it dauntingly on his hips, completely ignoring the sharp blades merely inches away from his body.
"Are you questioning my authority? Your looks imply that you are a descendant of Yulatio. What would your ancestor say if he saw you threatening your king in such a ruthless manner?"
"My ancestor would praise me, your highness. You have abandoned your duties as king – even before you were cast unto a deep sleep – forcing the ministry to shoulder all your responsibilities. Even now, you continue to live an ignorant and sinful life of luxury, cradled by your many maids and butlers. Do you really believe that you are still worthy to serve the country of Senace?" He laughed. "The other ministers and I agree that you are not suitable for the throne of Hamel. The royal family is no longer needed. Us ministers can and will take better control of the country."
Taking a few steps forwards, the golden-eyed minister spoke smugly to the prince as he drew his sword – an elaborately decorated silver falchion.
"How about this, your highness? We shall have a little duel, first strike that draws blood wins. If you are able to even graze me, I will gladly accept you as the proper heir to Hamel's throne, and will discuss your coronation with the other ministers."
With a wave of his left hand, the golden-eyed minister called off his loyal subordinates. As he watched the various fighters form an arena around the two, Pally scoffed, raising his right arm and taking an offensive stance. It was obvious that it wasn't going to be a simple and fair little duel, but the blond prince was strongly intent on winning the fight – for him, for Chaser. 'Prepare yourself… …For I'll be bringing you to the doors of Hell!'
Blue eyes locked onto golden ones as both swordsmen readied their blades. Taking the offensive, Pally hastily ran in, closing their distance and executed a simple horizontal slash with his one-handed sword. Surprised at the sudden attack, the minister was delayed in his dodge, watching with eyes wide upon seeing the tips of his bistre hair and crimson cloth get torn. He stumbled backwards, marveling at the prince's exquisite swordsmanship. 'For a selfish brat, it is amazing that he knows how to even wield a sword.' He chuckled.
"Forfeiting already?" The prince asked haughtily, earning another short laugh from the golden-eyed minister.
"Of course not, your highness. Let us continue."
Before he had even finished speaking, Pally had already dived in for another horizontal slash. More focused this time, the minister quickly raised his thicker blade, effectively blocking the powerful strike and temporarily stunning the prince. Without missing a beat, the minister rotated his bladed hand inwards, countering the prince's simple strike and sending both the thin sword and his knee to the ground.
"Gah!"
The blond prince strengthened his grip, quickly picking himself up and moving out of the way as the older male's silver blade smashed into the ground, cracking the smooth, white tiles. The two contestants locked eyes once more – each knowing very well that this was no simple 'first blood duel'. Seizing the opportunity, Pally rammed his shoulder into the older male's body, launching them both to the ground. While the minister fumbled in shock at the barbaric tactic, Pally hastily picked himself up, pulling back his arm to launch a simple thrust at the defenseless man. He bounced back suddenly, stumbling over his own feet at the unexpected rebound. Collecting himself, he stared at the glowing, maize barrier in front of him. Upon closer examination, a large but faint sunset-red sigil rested in the middle of the barrier – the number '3', surrounded by an oriental dragon, slowly rotating clockwise around the '3'. Pally lowered his sword as he continued to glare at the minister, casually picking himself off and dusting his shoulders.
"What is the meaning of this?" The prince asked, irritated, pointing his sword to the light-yellow barrier.
Raising his falchion once more, the minister replied matter-of-factly,
"As your highness has used such a… …Inelegant tactic in a swords match, I feel that it is only fair for me to be allowed a second method of attack."
Pally growled lowly, feeling his adrenaline rise at the minister's every word. He watched as the barrier faded, and as soon as it disappeared, lunged himself forwards in another basic thrust. Unfortunately, his attack was easily anticipated and parried, resulting in both parties fighting for dominance. Impatient, Pally added his left hand onto his blade's hilt, forcing the minister back. Struggling to withstand the incoming force with one hand, the minister extracted his left hand, quickly drawing a basic restricting rune with an upside down equilateral triangle in the middle – the alchemic symbol for water. Almost immediately, two small, glaucous-shaded, circular barriers were formed around the prince's wrists, numbing them and drastically weakening his attack.
Without even giving the prince time to react, the golden-eyed minister applied a large amount of force to his blade, easily knocking the prince back. He quickly followed up with a basic vertical strike, followed by two basic horizontal slashes. Dodging the first strike, Pally raised his sword, forcing his hands to strengthen their grip, merely only knocking the silver falchion's attack away.
No longer able to rely on his hands, Pally lowered his arms, and, barely dodging another vertical slash, launched himself forward at the older male with a savage head-butt. He quickly stood up and jabbed his knee at the man's stomach, earning a pained grunt in response. Taking a step back, Pally launched a powerful kick at the same location, knocking away the elegantly crafted falchion. As the minister fell on his back, breathless, Pally jumped on him, pinning his knees beside the older man's hips and positioning his shins and feet over the heavily armored legs, effectively pinning the man's lower body down to the ground. He grabbed the minister's neck with his left hand, and as the golden-eyed minister desperately clawed for breath, Pally exerted all his strength into his frozen right hand, raising it high above his head and slamming it down at the minister's tanned face. The blade landed only millimeters to the right of the minister's head, crudely chopping away strands of long, bistre hair.
Gasping heavily for breath, Pally pulled the sword out of the marble flooring, and with great difficulty, raised it above his head again. 'This time… …I won't miss.'
The minister suddenly smiled darkly, speaking quietly in between heavy breaths.
"And what about your precious assassin?"
Pally stopped his hand, surprised at the minister's words, unsure of how to perceive them. Feeling the grip around his neck loosen, the minister quickly took a deep breath and snapped his left hand twice. An observing mercenary quickly ran out of the crowd and into the arena, drawing his broadsword and aiming it at the defenseless prince's back.
Although he could hear the swordsman coming straight at him, Pally could not dodge or counter the attack. Dodging the incoming blade would leave him vulnerable for an attack from the minister, and his wrists were still frozen by the blue runes, leaving his arms useless. His mind started to race, searching for another possible choice, but he could think of none. His heartbeat grew in intensity, ringing through his ears as sweat started to form on his forehead. He gritted his teeth. What could he do in such a situation? Breathing deeply, Pally strengthened his grip on the minister's throat. 'I can at least take down their leader…' With such a thought, he clenched his teeth, bracing for the impact.
Bang!
Hearing a soft 'thump' behind him, and no metal to his body, Pally turned his head, looking over his shoulders, his eyes widening at the sight of the newcomer.
"Cha…ser?"
The young assassin was standing by the doorway, breathing heavily, faint traces of smoke coming from the barrel of his silver pistol. He had donned his usual black coat, though his tattered pants revealed many unhealed cuts and bruises. Pulling out a second gun with his left hand and scanning it around the crowd, Chaser skillfully reloaded his first pistol, a familiar smirk pasted on his thin lips.
"Anyone else want to try killing the prince?"
His tone was bold and daunting, completely different than the quiet, airy voice Pally last heard. The tired prince couldn't help but smile, relieved that the boy was safe from harm. His expression suddenly went dark. Not daring to weaken his hold on the minister, Pally called out to the boy behind him, his tone full of anxiety and worry,
"Chaser! Get out, now! The ministry—"
"Stuuuuuuuupid prince." The assassin interrupted, surprising the blond prince. "I already know the royal ministry is trying to kill you off – isn't that right, Mr. Penensio?"
He turned to face his former client, laughing mentally at his current position – pinned down and completely vulnerable, a quick and easy finish. The golden-eyed minister gave an amused snort, and replied with a monotonous voice,
"I see that you have failed my request."
"…Yeah."
The young assassin grimaced. His first failure, his first acceptance of defeat. If word got out that he, the infamous Tracker of Death, failed an assassination, his name and reputation would plummet in the red-light districts. He exhaled slowly. This was the path he had chosen, there would be no turning back. He breathed deeply, sharpening his eyes and solidifying his resolve. 'Yes, this is what I have decided to do.'
Still scanning the room with his left hand, Chaser aimed his second pistol at the minister, preparing for a quick finish. While the prince was distracted by the sudden appearance of the young assassin, Penensio raised his right hand slightly, making sure to hide it from both blond males. With his index finger, he drew a small, but complicated and very powerful rune and etched two equilateral triangles, facing up, in the middle, one with a small cross beneath it – the symbols for fire and sulfur. Noticing a faint red glow to his left, Pally quickly turned his head, just in time to see a flaming red rune explode in his face.
"Pally!"
Chaser did not move from his position, not daring to allow even a millisecond for the audience members to attack. He bit his lower lip, mentally praying that the prince was unharmed. The gray smoke cleared at an alarmingly fast rate, revealing the silhouettes of two sturdy swordsmen. Upon seeing the still-standing prince, Chaser sighed, relieved, and relaxed his shoulders. He quickly tensed up again, remembering that he was in the middle of a battlefield – surrounded by enemies, no less.
Gasping heavily for breath, Pally adjusted his posture, sliding his feet apart into a risky, offensive stance. He gripped his thin sword, glad the ice-forming runes around his wrists wore off. Seeing that the prince had not yet fallen, Penensio readied his sword as well. Although both swordsmen appeared to be in excellent fighting condition, their numerous burns and wounds clearly indicated that the explosion had taken quite a toll on their bodies.
The golden-eyed minister quickly formed a blank rune in his left hand and stepped forwards, hoping to land a powerful first hit on the prince.
"Don't move."
He stopped abruptly, turning to look at the young assassin, only to lock his eyes with a loaded barrel. Still scanning the crowd with his other hand, the boy continued,
"I can be this far away from you and still land a bullet through your head before you can even blink."
The minister laughed.
"I can believe that. Not to worry though. I have already contacted Lento for reinforcements. I'm certain they will be arriving shortly. Though, I'm a little surprised that Ferindan was unable to dispose of you earlier this evening."
Chaser scoffed, replying with a cynical tone,
"Oh, you mean that little knight back there? She wasn't very difficult to take care of. As for that old grandpa minister…" A sinister smirk crept onto the assassin's face. "…Let's just say I made sure to properly conceal the bodies afterwards."
Penensio let out a small gasp, his eyes wide in both fear and shock. So many elite soldiers, all wiped out by one small boy? 'And he is still able to fight…' He let out a small chuckle. 'If only he had not fallen for the prince…'
He dispersed the rune in his hand and straightened himself, his hand still gripped tightly on his falchion's hilt. He turned his gaze towards the silent prince in front of him, meeting his resolute, blue eyes. Without averting his gaze, Penensio spoke haughtily to the young assassin,
"I believe though, that his majesty and I have a duel that we've yet to finish."
Chaser opened his mouth, but was interrupted as the prince spoke for him.
"He's right. This is a battle between men, with our pride on the line. Please do not interfere."
Chaser closed his mouth and furrowed his brows. He could easily kill the knighted minister, but he did not wish to upset his friend. He exhaled slowly and lowered both pistols, mumbling incomprehensible nonsense about a certain "stupid prince".
Penensio took a deep breath and raised his sword to meet the prince's. He waved his left hand nonchalantly.
"Guards, prove yourselves useful and go entertain the assassin for a bit. Now then, your highness, shall we continue?"
Pally smirked. "Gladly."
As soon as the word left his mouth, Pally launched himself forwards, executing multiple backhand slashes at the minister. Dodging the first few, Penensio raised his sword to parry the following strikes. But he could not counter. He was slowly being pushed back by the prince's barbaric attacks. It was as if the prince had channeled his rage into an endless barrage of sword strikes. Penensio quickly drew a simple but weak barrier rune, stepping aside just as it clashed with a thin blade. He swung his sword down, only to have it blocked by the prince's quick reflexes.
While the two swordsmen exchanged blows, Chaser was firing a barrage of orichalcum bullets at the incoming mob of warriors. His legs were still badly injured from his previous fight, leaving him at a great disadvantage against the larger mob. He backed up to the wooden door, leaning on it for support.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
More bodies dropped down dead, casually thrown aside by their allies or used as a stepping stone. Chaser laughed at their conflicting movements. 'Ha! They're not in sync at all! This will be a piece of cake.' Although his thoughts were confident, the young assassin knew that he would not be able to last much longer. He was feeling extremely tired and was running low on bullets. Still firing with his left arm, he quickly reloaded his other pistol, checking his coat for how many rounds he had left.
'Three magazines; eighteen bullets.' He cussed. There were still about thirty or so hardy soldiers left. Aside from his beloved pistols, the only weapons he had were extremely close-ranged blades, used for quick and stealthy assassinations.
Thunk!
A javelin soared over the crowd, stabbing itself through the thick door just mere inches away from the young boy's head. Chaser bit his lower lip, quickly scanning his cerulean eyes over the crowd for any other long-ranged attackers. 'I'll take care of those pests first. The close-ranged ones I can deal with, with my switchblade…'
The sound of more gunfire echoed through the large room as spearmen and archers alike collapsed without another breath. Chaser ducked as an arrow landed where his head used to be. 'Shit! There's still another one?!'
He checked his coat again. One more magazine left. He cussed again – louder this time – and fired a hole through the heads of any remaining archers he saw. He glanced at the prince, still clashing with the minister. Both swordsmen looked as if they were about to fall over at any given moment. Chaser smiled. 'Good, this'll be over soon…'
A burst of pain surged through his body. Reflexively, Chaser pulled out his switchblade and stabbed at the figure to his left. The assassin below him fell down instantly, dead. He pulled the blade out of his left abdomen, gritting his teeth at the pain. A second surge of pain jolted from his right shoulder as a throwing knife lodged itself deep within the flesh, pinning him to the door. He grimaced, quickly pulling out the knife with some difficulty. He breathed heavily. He was getting careless.
Out of the corner of his half-lidded eyes, Chaser noticed a bandit heading towards the prince, unnoticed. Without thinking, he quickly fired another bullet in that direction, smirking as blood splattered from the bandit's head. He reloaded. Six bullets left.
"Gah…!"
He coughed, small drops of scarlet seeping out of his mouth. He quickly sliced at the Velderian soldier in front of him, taking out both his eyes. While the knight screamed and clawed at his eye sockets, Chaser pulled out the long blade gutted in his stomach. It was heavy, but he could use it as a backup weapon.
He noticed more bandits switching targets and running after the unwary prince.
Bang! Bang!
He swung the long-sword, slicing off the arm of a nearby mercenary. As the surprised man howled in pain, Chaser quickly stabbed them straight through the heart, ending their suffering. He fired another shot at the last archer in the group. 'Good, that should be all of them…'
Eyes darting furiously, Chaser continued to fend off the lively mob. He cussed, noticing more soldiers heading towards the prince.
Bang! Bang!
He was lucky – one of his bullets pierced through two soldiers.
Chaser felt a blade graze his left arm, and turned to stab the unfortunate knight. A fancy blade lodged itself in the door, half an inch from the blond assassin's right shoulder. He briskly turned around, forcing his switchblade into the Hamelian knight's forehead. He let out a weak cry as a third blade found its way to his left shoulder. He gripped his stolen sword, flipping it around and stabbing the bandit behind him. He quickly pulled the scabbard out of his shoulder, sticking it in the stomach of a nearby mercenary.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed yet another fighter inching his way towards the prince's battle. He fired his final bullet, sweat and blood dripping off his chin as the knight joined the other corpses. His knees gave way below him, allowing him to dodge two uncoordinated attacks, resulting in both knights stabbing each other. He clenched his stomach, pain surging through every cell in his body. He breathed heavily, the pounding of his rapid heartbeat the only sound he could hear.
He forced his legs to stand up, noticing that the prince had turned to face him, an expression of pure horror on his pale face. His mouth was moving, but the young assassin could not hear anything. Chaser shifted his gaze, noticing the minister coat his blade with a powerful, flaming rune. His eyes widened as the silver falchion inched itself closer to the prince's unwary back.
With no other options, Chaser quickly pulled out a small grenade and threw it on the ground. As the fighters took notice of the explosive, they quickly scattered, making a path for the injured assassin. Time seemed to slow as he propelled his bloodied legs forwards, the constant drumming of his heart resounding through his ears. He tossed away his long-sword and dropped his beloved pistols, allowing his feet to move faster with less weight hindering him. He quickly pulled out his switchblade, stepping in front of the prince and stabbing the minister – a direct hit to the heart. He smirked victoriously as Penensio fell, his golden eyes wide with shock. As the knighted minister fell, his blade remained lingering in the air…
Chaser glanced down, noticing the falchion piercing through his chest. He grimaced. 'Shit… Looks like I was a little careless…'
With great difficulty, he pulled the sword out of his body, falling as the adrenaline left his body. He was caught by comforting hands with a familiar touch. He looked up, meeting with familiar cerulean eyes. He blinked. Were those… Tears? For him? He smiled, touched by the prince's kind actions.
Pally kneeled down, cuddling the smaller boy's body in his arms. He raised the boy's head, planting a weak kiss on his forehead. He forced a smile, tears continuously pelting down on the boy's pale face.
"Chaser, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry… Please don't die, please…! Y-Your lollipops are arriving soon! So… Please don't die just yet…"
The blond prince continued to choke out his words, begging the gods above to release their hold on his beloved. He pulled the boy closer, nuzzling his head in the boy's neck, as if his embrace could stop the angels from claiming the young boy's soul.
"…Sorry…"
Pally raised his head, meeting with the boy's dull blue eyes.
"What was that? Keep talking, Chaser. Don't fall asleep… Please…"
The young assassin smiled. He could see the prince's lips moving, but he could not hear anything. He opened his mouth, his voice barely anything more than a whisper.
"I'm sorry… …That our game has to end…"
Pally cringed.
"No, no! Don't be sorry! Our game's not over! It'll continue! You'll live! So please, please Chaser, don't die!"
More tears started to fall from the prince's eyes. He bit his lower lip, trying to suppress all his cries, albeit unsuccessfully. He lowered his head, planting multiple kisses all over the boy's face.
"It was fun… Our game… Thank you…"
Chaser raised his left arm, gently stroking the prince's cheek as his mind started to blur. He could no longer feel the excruciating pain from before, and his eyelids were drooping. He was so, so very tired, but he couldn't sleep. Not just yet…
"Goodbye, Pally... And…"
Tears started to form from his own eyes as he forced his body to speak his final words.
"…I… Love you…"
And with those fleeting words, Chaser closed his eyes, his left arm falling away from the prince's warmth. Pally laughed weakly.
"Chaser, that's mean… Finally telling me the words I've been dying to hear, and…"
He trailed off, unable to continue speaking. His mind suddenly went blank. He gently shook the cold body in his arms.
"Hey, Chaser… I have one more command left right? I'll use it now, so. Please… Wake up…"
The boy did not even stir. A wave of overwhelming despair swept over the prince's weak heart. He wanted to cry, even more than he already was. He cursed the gods for taking away his lover, his beloved Chaser. 'No, not just them…' He turned to glare at the remaining fighters, a beastly wrath burning like wildfire in his chest. He gently placed the boy down, picking up his sword once more, gripping the hilt so tightly his knuckles were white. He started to walk towards the crowd of uncertain fighters, his stride slow but dangerous. He raised his head, his tear-stained eyes flaming with inhuman wrath.
"You damnable little dastards… How dare you hurt Chaser… How dare you…"
Before any of the warriors could even take a step, Pally lunged himself at the closest person, cleanly slicing their head off. His head hung low, he walked slowly towards the next person. The bandit fought back, though he was easily overpowered by the furious prince. Slice. Slice. Slice. With a frighteningly calm demure, Pally continued to behead the numerous fighters – all petrified by the prince's demonic thirst for revenge. Slice. Slice. Slice. With a final stroke, the last head fell, splattering blood all over the prince's beautiful suit. But Pally did not care. His heart was suddenly blank, completely devoid of any emotions. He felt… Empty.
He exhaled slowly, dropping his sword and picking up the two silver guns before walking back to his fallen beloved. Gently, he picked up the small boy, cradling his delicate body as if he were a small child. He smiled, planting a soft kiss on the boy's forehead.
"Come on Chaser, let's head to bed. Tomorrow morning, let's go and get you a new maid outfit." He laughed weakly. "I wonder if your lollipops will arrive tomorrow… Don't eat too many though, or else you'll get sick." Another weak laugh.
Ignoring the many corpses below his feet, Pally walked to the damaged, wooden door, opening it and stepping into the empty hallway. Kissing the sleeping assassin once more, he turned and started to walk down the long hallway, back to their comfortable, white bedroom. Tears started to stream down his cheeks again, though he was unsure why. After all, Chaser was just sleeping. He's a little injured, but he'll be okay. He smiled.
'Yeah, tomorrow, you'll wake up, and everything will be all right…'
~ Author's Notes ~
Before anything, I have to apologize for this extremely late update. I had some difficulty writing the fighting scenes so... x_x
On a second note, oh my god, this has got to be the first time I felt like crying when writing a death scene. Poor Chaser... ;A;
...And then I just had to go and make Pally go insane. Yup. I'm so nice aren't I? XD /shot
But don't worry~! If you haven't noticed already, this story is still "In-Progress", so there's gonna be one final chapter, and the epilogue~.
...Of course, that'll probably take a while. Sorry. XD
So! As always, I hope you've enjoyed this story so far, and I hope you're excited for the final conclusion to our story~! :D
Oh, and feedback of any sorts is welcome too. Can't forget about that. /shot
Guest Anon: Thanks for your input! And don't worry, I wasn't mad... Or something. XD And yes he did~, even though it's not a complete kiss since it was only on the bottom lip, but it was still a kiss of sorts... Probably not a mouth-to-mouth kiss since Chaser's still very innocent about love~. XD Consider it a "goodbye" kiss or something, I guess. Or whatever you thought it was at first. I'm not entirely sure myself now, haha... /shot
