Chapter 9: The Weight of a Sin
The gentle sound of birds chirping and fluttering about entered the room. Their calm warbles instilled a feeling of serenity and peace in the otherwise silent abode. The lights had been since dimmed, the sunbeams streaming in through the window being the only source of illumination.
"Oh!" Exclaimed a voice happily. "She's finally waking up! Father! Come quickly!"
The sound of footsteps thundering down a hallway was heard, and then of a door flying open.
"Lady Agrias." The elder voice announced proudly. "I'm glad to see you are finally coming to."
"Ur...urgh..." Grunted the ex-Holy Knight. She sat up with a start, rubbing her eyes viciously.
"Calm down, you're still pretty weak." The younger voice warned. It was that of a young man, and it seemed very familiar.
"I don't need you to tell me that." Agrias snapped.
Her eyes finally focusing, Agrias confirmed what she had thought. The voice was indeed one of days gone by, but even with the time that had passed, it was still the same. The second figure entered the room and opened the shades completely, and the sunlight, before partially restricted by the curtains, shone through at its full potential now.
"Mustadio." Agrias said, nodding contently to herself as she saw the young engineer she had befriended some time ago.
"You remember me, I'm glad." Smiled Mustadio happily. "Father, come say hello."
"It's been quite a while, Lady Agrias." Said Besrodio.
"It has." Agrias replied in agreement. "I see the two of you have been well since we last met."
"I wish we could say the same for you." Besrodio said dejectedly.
"What do you mean?"
It took Agrias a few moments to realize what Besrodio exactly meant, but then it all began to come back to her.
"Ah, yes..." Agrias sighed, plopping her face into her propped waiting hands. "It has been a very rough time for me since then, but I'll not bore the two of you with such trite details of things you more than likely would not want to hear of."
"There's no need anyway, Agrias." Mustadio said. "Ramza told us everything."
"He did?"
"Of course." Nodded Mustadio. "It's been almost two weeks since Ramza came here to Goug. Father and I were quite shocked to see him with you strung across his back."
"Wait a second..." Agrias interrupted. "If I remember correctly, I was in the Atkascha Knight Barracks last, that's almost forty miles away from here!"
"Yes." Besrodio said. "It is my best assumption that he carried you this entire way."
"Impossible..." Muttered Agrias. "There's no way...he would've died from exhaustion, it's not even remotely feasible..."
"Oh, I think it is." Mustadio cut in. "Because he's different now."
"Different? What do you mean?" Agrias inquired.
"Young Ramza was not himself when he arrived here." Said Besrodio. "Both Mustadio and I could easily tell that he had changed very much. He seemed much more reserved, even when in the presence of old friends. And he exhibited a rather disturbing aura about him, nothing like we remember."
"And did he tell you why?" Poised Agrias.
"He didn't." Mustadio said with a sigh. "He arrived, begged us to hide you, and then vanished without another word. He said he would return eventually, but he never gave us any exact date or time, so neither Father nor I have a clue where he went or when he will come back."
"He's gone..." Agrias choked out.
"I'm afraid so." Besrodio answered. "It's strange though..."
"What's strange Father?" Mustadio asked.
"Young Lady Agrias looked to be in terrible health when she was brought here, but look at her now."
The two engineers scoped Agrias out and saw that her outward appearance seemed to be overly healthy. Her skin had returned to its normal tone, and her breathing too was going at a regular pace, much different than the forced draws of breath they saw previously.
"Is it a miracle?" Questioned Mustadio.
"I'm not really sure, my son." Besrodio said, rubbing his chin curiously. "What Lady Agrias had was not a normal sickness, this much I am sure of, and now, it seems to have vanished without a trace remaining. Although, it may be in part due to Ramza's influence."
"Ramza's influence?" Agrias said with a cocked brow.
"Yeah, that most likely had something to do with it." Mustadio agreed.
"What are you the two of you talking about?"
"I am very sorry, Lady Agrias, but I made a vow to Ramza to not reveal such information. He said only he would be able to fully explain, and we were to keep you here until he returned." Besrodio admitted.
Agrias' face remained blank for a few seconds, as she was trying to take in all of what she had just heard. She couldn't believe it. She had since been dragged into Ramza's plight, but now he had abandoned her here in Goug. One scant night earlier, she was on the verge of death, but now she looked to be almost completely healthy, apparently due to "Ramza's influence" as Mustadio and Besrodio had said. Was Ramza trying to protect Agrias somehow by leaving her in Goug?
The thought of being left at the wayside while destiny passed her by once more irked Agrias to no end. Her face turned into a scowl.
"You fool..." Agrias muttered angrily, almost to herself.
"Agrias, what's wrong?" Asked Mustadio.
"I have to go." Agrias announced suddenly, throwing the covers off her body.
"But you're not fully recovered yet!" Exclaimed Mustadio.
"So you think." Agrias said as she got to her feet.
"Wha...?" Mustadio looked Agrias up and down, and saw all of the wounds, even including the grotesque pierce wound in her abdomen, had completely vanished. Agrias now stood, completely unscathed.
"How...how did..." Bumbled the two Goug residents.
"It's a long story, and I've not the time to explain any of it." Agrias said.
The ex-Holy Knight started to the door, but Mustadio got in front of her and grabbed her by the arm.
"Get out of my way Mustadio." Agrias snorted, shirking the young engineer's grasp off quite effortlessly.
"I can't." Mustadio refused, once more taking hold of Agrias' arm.
Agrias' face curled up into an indignant stare.
"I'll not say it again, remove yourself from in front of me, or I will have to force you." Warned Agrias, this time her cold gaze made Mustadio relinquish his hold on his own.
"I promised Ramza not to let you leave here." Mustadio said.
"I don't care what you promised him." Agrias said, her voice starting to sound brass. "You've no right to confine me in this city like I were some slave."
"But Ramza said...!" Mustadio began to say.
"It's alright, Mustadio." A fourth voice chimed in, coming from behind Besrodio. "She won't need to go anywhere."
"Ah, Ramza, you startled me." Besrodio huffed, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. "You really mustn't sneak up on an old man like that."
"Forgive me, Besrodio." Ramza's innocent voice apologized.
Ramza stepped out from beside Besrodio. Agrias' jaw dropped in shock.
"What's wrong now, Agrias?" Mustadio asked, shooting a quick look back at Ramza, then back to Agrias. "Oh, I see."
Ramza's appearance nearly made Agrias' heart stop. He was completely different than the last time Agrias had seen him. No longer was he clad in simple leather duds, he now was covered from the neck down in dark, steely armor. The pitch black attire absorbed all light cast onto it, offering no sort of reflection. There were small studs jutting out from the base of the knuckles on his gauntlets, and larger ones lined along the edges of his elbows. The breastplate covered him almost completely, showing only small traces of silver chainmail underneath it. The chainmail was tucked into a tasset of identical material as his armor, covering Ramza's upper thighs. What part wasn't covered were protected by breeches that connected into his greaves.
"My God..." Agrias stuttered. "Ramza, what has happened to you...?"
"I feel the same way as you, Agrias." Mustadio said. "This armor is alot different than what I'm used to seeing him wear."
"I don't think it's just my armor that has her in shock, Mustadio." Ramza said, running his fingers through his hair collectively.
"Please..." Agrias whispered solemnly. "May I speak to Ramza, alone?"
"Of course." Besrodio obeyed, motioning to his son. "Come, Mustadio."
"Okay." Mustadio said, coming to his father's side. Mustadio looked at Ramza and smiled.
"It's good to have you back, Ramza."
"I thank you for keeping Agrias safe during my time of absence, Mustadio." Ramza said respectively.
"It's what friends are for." Answered Mustadio.
The two left the room, shutting the door behind them carefully. Ramza crossed his arms on his chest and looked to the ground, silently contemplating Agrias' words that were about to be spoken.
"Look at me." Agrias demanded. Ramza shook his head in reply.
"Look at me!" Agrias shouted loudly.
Ramza's head slowly raised back up. Agrias walked over to him slowly, almost cautiously.
"Agrias..."
"Shhh..." Agrias hushed Ramza, placing a hand on his shoulder. She traced her finger along his armor, taking in the sight before her.
Ramza's breathing began to quicken, he knew exactly what was happening. Agrias' hand then left Ramza's armor and stopped on his left cheek. Her bare skin tickled Ramza's every sense, just as it always did.
Agrias could barely find the words to describe what she was seeing. As he said, it wasn't merely just Ramza's new armor that stood out. As she removed her hand from his cheek, she found herself staring at the scar she had moments earlier been covering. The scar was colored blood red, but had the substance from the Reverse Trinity on Ramza's back flowing through it. The scar itself seemed to be alive.
"They're all over my body, you just can't see them..." Ramza whispered.
"And your eyes...?"
Ramza's pupils, while once a dark copper color, had since turned as black as the armor he wore, but every time he took a breath, a faint appearance of the cursed mark on his back would flash, and then disappear.
"Ramza...what's happening to you...?"
"My sins are finally beginning to smother me, Agrias. The Reverse Trinity was just the start of it all. This poison will continue to spread throughout my body, robbing me of every fiber of life, until I waste away into nothingness. It's a slow and painful death, marred with constant reminders of what I have done. It's working exactly as he said it would."
"He?" Agrias asked.
"I struck him down without ever knowing the kind of torment he went through because of me. He sold his soul to the devil to try and get back at me, but I still emerged victorious. And now, caught between the boundaries of life and death, he seeks to drag me into oblivion right along with him."
"That makes no sense!" Agrias shrieked. "You're talking in riddles! Who are you referring to?"
Ramza said nothing as he took hold of Agrias' hand and placed it on his chest, where his slow heartbeat could be felt from underneath the cold steel of his armor.
"My heartbeat..." Ramza whispered.
"I...I can feel it..." Agrias repeated her words from before.
"You're one of the very few who can now..."
Ramza let go of Agrias' hand, and she slowly withdrew it back to her side.
"But," Ramza started again. "I suppose that's not surprising, as you share the same fate as I do."
"Why must you say such grim words?" Agrias winced.
"I only speak the truth, Agrias. I was able to slow down your corruption, but at a cost..."
Ramza trailed off, and Agrias' eyes shot wide open.
"You didn't..." She mumbled.
"My tainted blood runs through your veins as well, so it is only right that I share more of my own to slow your destruction, even it hastened mine."
"You're such a fool..." Agrias said angrily. "You wasted such precious time and energy on me, I'm not worth your life, Ramza. You're the hero of our people, why would you sacrifice such a portion of yourself for a single person!"
"I don't think of it as a waste, Agrias. After all, I need you to stay alive."
"You don't need me!" Agrias shot back. "You need Alma! And you'll never make it to her if you further your own demise! Stop thinking with your heart and start thinking with your head, Ramza!"
"...You are right." Ramza said with a nod. "I do need Alma, and she needs me as well. But I cannot continue to exist with only her anymore. This has gone far beyond the two of us. I never wanted you to be a part of this, but it's too late now."
"What...are you saying...?" Agrias gasped.
"I need you, Agrias Oaks, to live, to exist. Only with you will I be able to advance any further down this cursed path I have been led to. You must remain at my side, for my sake, for yours, and for Alma as well. Please, do not think my words are selfish, I am thinking only in the best interest of you and Alma. Our destinies have become intertwined, whether we want it this way or not."
"Destiny? Stop speaking such grandiose nonsense!" Agrias shouted angrily. "Forget about me, go to Alma!"
"If I go any further alone, I will surely perish. I refuse to leave without you, no matter how many times you object to it."
"...even if your sister suffers because of it...?" Agrias challenged.
"Her suffering cannot be avoided, I've come to accept that. But if I die before I reach her, it will be never ending torment. Please Agrias, do not put my beloved sister through the kind of hell that you and I have been through."
"You're such a stubborn boy, always making the most sense, even if it still sounds ludicrous..." She fumed.
Ramza smiled a half-smile in reply, then walked over to the window in the room, staring down into the busy streets of Goug below him.
"Once I have found Alma, I can finally rest..."
"Rest...?" Agrias cocked her eyebrow curiously.
"The horrific experiences I've had during the Lion War and the time following it have never once left my conscious. Every day, every waking moment, the memories I wish I could forget play out before my eyes, showing me of what my actions have done. It wouldn't matter if I saved the world a hundred times over, the people think of me as nothing but a monster. I've since gone down in history as a heretic, and now, history is simply biding its time until news of my death can finally be recorded. If not for Alma, such angst would've caused me to lose myself long ago. But she has kept me going under such extreme circumstances."
"Ramza..." Agrias said dejectedly.
"I thought that by getting her back, I could return to simply living. That was the original idea, anyway. But things have become much different now. I have changed, and I've changed those around me, in ways both good and bad. I've given former comrades hope in knowing that I am still alive, but also I've given my enemies renewed faith to have my head. I've also changed you in ways you did not want, just so that I could remain. I've brought my terrible curse upon you, all for the sake of my own wants and needs. The moment that sword pierced into the both of us, you became a necessary part of my life. I'll not lie to you Agrias, I need you, and that is the honest truth, I swear upon the miserable existence I continue to live out."
"..." Agrias remained silent.
"And that is why I have promised myself that only you have the right to take my life. You are the only one I will let end this existence. Once I have been laid to rest, any and all influence I have over your body and mind will disappear into thin air, my poisoned blood will remove itself from your being. My life, it will be yours to do with whatever you please."
"That's..." Agrias could barely speak.
"However, I will only let this happen once I have saved Alma, please understand."
Agrias shook her head and walked over to Ramza, also staring out the window along with him.
"What makes you think I wouldn't just take your life now?" Agrias said slyly.
"Because I know you too well. You respect me too much to go against my wishes."
"Respect...what a quaint word..." Mused Agrias.
"A word that, if not for you, would've since been lost on me." Ramza said.
Agrias sighed heavily.
"What is it, Agrias?"
"Why must you endure such a hellish fate?" Agrias pondered. "Such maddening situations were meant for a natural soldier like myself, not for a gallant lad like you."
"The fates work in ways we may never truly comprehend." Ramza answered fervently. "Some choose to run from their fates, and others, like the two of us, choose to meet them head on, our own strong will to live keeping us afloat."
"I suppose." Agrias said.
"It is almost time for us to leave this place." Ramza announced.
"Where will we go next?"
"The place where I first started down the path of my destruction." Ramza said cryptically.
"I see..."
"Before that though, I must test my own power, and yours as well. I must see if the two of us are even capable of meeting such a tremendous obstacle. This will not be a simple test of our battle prowess, it will be a test of our very souls, whatever part remains over our corruption."
"I understand." Agrias nodded.
"Your armor is over there." Ramza said as he pointed to the corner of the room. "I had it repaired and strengthened."
"That's quite foreboding, if you ask me." Agrias said.
"We must be prepared for whatever should happen, it is one of the many codes of a soldier."
"Of course." Agrias agreed with a nod. "And what about my weapon?"
"Right there." Ramza pointed again at a sword a few feet away from the armor that lay on the floor.
Agrias made her way over to the pile of armor and examined it. She brought her hand around the hilt of her sword and withdrew it from its sheath. It was very much like her traditional blade from her days as a Holy Knight. She felt very familiar with the sword, and nodded in approval. After resheathing it, she scooped up her gauntlets and prepared to lace them around her hands, but she stopped when she saw a sword much larger than her own leaning against the dresser. It appeared to be a greatsword, a blade that required the use of both hands to wield.
"That's mine." Ramza called out, answering Agrias' question before she was even able to ask it.
Agrias knelt down next to the blade and looked it over carefully. It was polished to a perfect finish, and small inscriptions where lined along the middle of the cutting edge.
"What is this...?" Agrias whispered.
"Read it and you'll find out." Ramza said.
Agrias carefully mouthed the words engraved into the sword:
"The weight of a sin, forgivable to none, loathed by all."
"How sad..." Agrias sighed.
"All too true, I'm sorry to say." Ramza said as he walked over to the sword and grabbed the blade by the handle. He brought the sword to his back and proceeded out the door.
"I will meet you outside, take as much time as you need to prepare, there are a few things I would like to discuss with Mustadio before we depart." Ramza announced, opening the door and exiting.
Agrias began to get into her armor, readying her mind and body for the duel that was to come...
