Hey everyone, Paradigm of Writing here with a brand new chapter of Icarus Chronicle, #14: Shards of Bleak. This'll be a dark chapter once again as I always seem to have plenty of those. Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing, all the buzz is really meaning a lot in terms of helping me get chapters out (as I know there some people out there willing to read my trashy work). We're starting to hit our stride, where things will either end up being amazing and wonderful, or absolutely horrible and decrepit. Let's have the former, shall we? So, last time, it looks like Shulk and Palutena's shared history has come full center and now the mother is watching her family fall apart. Peach has also met the blunt of Pit's wrath, our diamond lord has injured a fellow servant. Doom is upon the Icarus castle. Want to say a quick thank you again to Arctic01, CheesyOne, SeththeGreat, Mr. Squirtle6, and eclipse's end for reviewing. Glad to see all the comments and criticisms, means a lot. Enjoy!
Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off. ~ Proverbs 23:18
"He did what to you?" Robin asked incredulously, staring at her best friend empathetically, holding the underside of her jaw with care. The two women currently were standing in the warrior's room, later in the evening, where the sun had just kissed the Earth good night, rays of twilight dancing out into the black sky. Robin had opened the door immediately to Peach's hurried knocking.
The blonde swallowed. The entire left side of her face was covered in a sickly light blue coating of ice, and when touched, would send shards of ice tinkering to the ground. Each tap on the side of her face would send ripples of pain through the diplomat's body, mainly the upper portion. Robin gently, with her pinkie, of all fingers, lightly swiped down on Peach's cheek, causing the girl to scream. As the ice chipped away, a welt of cardinal appeared in the spot before it. The warrior frowned, dabbing that with the same pinkie. Lifting the digit to her mouth, she tasted the red substance, her body shuddering.
"Blood." she said grimly.
"What's wrong?" Peach questioned worriedly, her head titled the other way so she didn't have to bear witness to the atrocity marring her features.
"You've been struck with some form of frostbite, it looks like. I can get rid of it, but it causes your skin to bleed as it comes off. Sounds painful."
"That's because it is painful," Peach hissed at her. "You're scraping away part of my cheek. How else am I supposed to be feeling? All giddy?"
Robin's expression softened impeccably, her hands hovering over one of her friend's hands. She gripped it tight. "I'm sorry Lord Pit did this to you. What happened again, exactly?"
Peach swallowed. More than likely the poor lass did not want to describe in detail the event of grim misfortune. "I had returned from one of my errands, and there Pit is in his chamber thrashing and crying out like no tomorrow. I aroused him in fright, he injured himself. Being handy and quick on my feet, I dressed his head wound and while I was helping heal him, he asked me a question. He-" she paused, biting her tongue, looking away.
"What did he ask you about?" the warrior prodded, poking Peach in the stomach.
Her tone was strong as she answered, eyes set dead into Robin's warm coral ones. "He asked me about you. My relationship with you. Wanted to know us better, for lack of a better word. Felt bizarre."
"And how did you answer his inquiry?"
"Like I would if any random person asked me," Peach said confidently. "With dignity that you're my best friend, that Robin Pherone is one of the nicest ladies, correction, people, that I've known. You saved my life, you've taught me more than I can-" she stopped once more, blinking. "I said a lot of nice things about you, let me put it that way."
Robin beamed from ear to ear. She swallowed her best friend in a hug, the wave of blonde vanishing behind a gray coat and pale hands. "You're downright amazing." she whispered.
They retracted, and Peach continued speaking, her eyes glassy. "But, then, Pit stood, apologized as he thought he was wasting my time. Said I needed to leave, though I really can't remember what he said. I asked him about what was troubling. Mentioned Shulk," at the mentioning of the necromancer, the warrior took in a huge breath of air, almost resembling that of a hiss with such vinegar and distaste at the name. Thoughts of black beady eyes flashed in Robin's mind, causing her to shiver, as Peach resumed. "It stopped Pit in his tracks. Set him dead where he stood. Turned around after I persisted because our lord is clearly distressed, and he then slapped me. Giving me this." At the end of her sentence, she motioned one hand to the icicle sheet glaciating over he face.
Silence enveloped the two of them momentarily, then Robin cleared her throat. "Are you hurt?"
"What kind of question is that supposed to be? Of course I'm hurt. I can't feel my left side of my jaw. How am I supposed to get rid of this?" Peach asked.
"I don't know. I'm not a clergy or some sort of magician," the pallid haired woman admitted, her cheeks burning. "Go ask Pit what to do. I bet you're not the first person in this kingdom to have survived a hit from our king."
"He won't let me see him. Shut himself inside Kuro's chamber for the past four hours and hasn't spoken a word. I am not strong enough to break down the door, but I'm afraid that if I get help and force myself in there, whatever hell Pit unleashes out of anger will pale compared to this." Again, another hand wave at the wound.
Robin rubbed her chin decisively. "So we're out of options here. Can't peel it off your face. Won't melt in the sun as the type of ice that it is isn't of natural form. Pit is inaccessible for who knows how long. We just let it sit there?"
Peach sat down on the floor, staring at the stone tiles and drawings etched into the stone. "I thought Pit was a sweet young man. What caused him to turn into a violent intimidator?"
"Who do you think?"
Both women stared at each other, blinking. There could only be one answer, boiling everything down to absolutes. Something sparked in Peach's brain, the diplomat leaping to her feet in a cry of brilliance. The outburst caught Robin by surprise, and a hush fell over the room.
"I've got an idea. A totally crazy one." Peach's diamond eyes were wide and gleaming with genius, her brow perspiring heavily under the baking sun.
Robin sized up her best friend, before moving her mouth into an open O. "No. No way in hell am I letting you get closer to that freak," she hissed. "He's the reason why Pit is acting like this. You said it yourself telling me what happened. That name tears him inside. Shulk is not helping you get rid of that!"
"For once, you need to stop acting like my big sister, R," It took all of Peach's gusto and bravery to even dare utter those words. "What's the worst thing that can happen?"
It truthfully had been a rhetorical question as the answer went unspoken between the two of them. He'll wind up killing us, the two thought together, nodding. Robin sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over a tired in face. "I was having a good day today, too. Got to show a few soldiers how to use weight as a leverage in sticky situations on the battlefield. Primid complemented me on my looks. Even got to say hello to Corrin while getting my lunch... but then you burst in here all wounded and now you want to go to the guy who caused all this. What's gotten into you?"
Peach stepped forward, gripping the warrior's hand. She had a smile on her face, but there wasn't happiness reflected in the expression. "Bravery. Something you taught me. First thing in the morning, dawn at the earliest, we scour this castle for that blonde necromancer. He'll reverse this. Though I expect I won't be able to get any other demands out of the way."
"He hurts you, my sword will kill him where he stands." Robin growled.
"Trust me," the blonde assured. "Hopefully you won't have to do that. I think between the two us that it doesn't need to be said."
The two embraced once more, in the patch of sunlight pooling by the bed. Though Peach didn't say anything, she could feel Robin's grip tighten, hands move down her back somewhat, and that eventually when they broke apart, there was a look of lost in the warrior's eyes. How her eyes glanced over every little detail, and that they spoke volumes. She wants to kiss me.
"And I don't know if I can deny her such a request."
Pit tapped a few fingers against the stone ground of Kuro's chamber lazily, whispers from the walls starting to fill his brain. Look at what you've done now, sire. Destruction and death among those in your inner circle. Shulk torments you, his constant beatings and abusive relationship that he has forced you into... what can you do about it? Nothing, absolutely nothing will save you now from the evil that plagues this palace. Today you showed that even the gentlest of hearts have their demons, and what a shame that something like that had to come true.
"Shut up," Pit hissed to himself, banging a fist against the ground. He wished he could have taken a goblet of wine from the cellar before returning to solitude. Not hearing Shulk's low humming of a spell or gloating of his soon near victories brought sanctuary to Pit's heart. The king uncurled and curled his hands into fists again, slamming them back down, over and over he did this. Each thump of flesh to stone brought out wedges of ice that spread along the floor. Another reminder of his curse, another reminder of the wrongdoing that his stupid mother bestowed on him all those years ago.
Your grand power now only brings trouble, my lord. What shall you do in the face of such darkness? Peach will no longer care for you. Robin shall wish to abandon your army. Primid is even having his doubts, a servant so faithful to Kuro's cause. Has Shulk beat you so easily? What is to come of the world when there's no more life left for it to exhaust? Will you stand tall with Shulk? Or will you be another body to add to the count?
Tears began to flow down the king's cheeks. How could things end up so badly for him? The world was painful, the world would not relent in its excruciating torture of making sure the Icarus name had suffering throughout the rest of its days. Pit absentmindedly brushed a hand over a scar underneath his heart, a white and riveting reminder of his brother's passing. Had a steaming mug of cocoa in his hands, before some stabbing agony at the back of his neck caused him to drop the cup all over the tile, and the poor, newly appointed Peach Seraph had come running down the halls for him, to make sure he was alright. The same attendant he had slapped earlier in the day. The same woman, the same person he loved, with the work of his beauty now hideously marring her features.
Pit needed sleep. It ate at him, slowly, from every pore, but his mind was in no shape to sleep. The king stood clumsily to his feet. The remaining droplets from his goblet of wine that he thirsted for more lay empty, knocked over on the tile, but he some decency to not press his face into the stone and lick up the miniscule puddle. As the wielder of ice formed a hand over the doorknob to open the door, something clattering against the floor behind him caused Pit to pause.
His head swirled to the cube instinctually, which proved to be correct. Sitting atop the slate prison which he dared never open again unless in the upmost dire of straits, sat a very familiar knife. It would've been the strange sound he had heard moments before. Pit hesitated before stepping over to the Icarus cube. His heart caught in his throat.
Sitting in front of him was the same exact knife that Shulk had gifted him on their first encounter all those months ago. Prime and out in the open. But... wasn't it supposed to be back in Roy's possession? How could the weapon appear back in his grasp? Pit had no desire to touch it since he knew what power it contained. He went back for the door handle, but the horrific sound of a locked door responded to his actions.
The king righted himself. "Son of a-" he swore quietly to his thoughts. Had to be one of Shulk's tricks. A mere optical illusion. The knife, the same devilish weapon, was not there right in front of Pit. That had to have been a mistake. He looked at it for another minute more. Perhaps it'd go away if he willed it do so. Nothing. Thinking fast, he shot out a hand, sending an icicle spear to the blade. In what had to be down to magic, the blade stood on its own, hitting the shard of cold and shattering it to a million pieces.
A evil, grating voice seemed to emanate into the room. Come closer, my lord. See what I have brought you. A gift, a gorgeous wonderful piece of art. Take it with earnest.
When Pit did not respond, the voice seemed to yell. Move it!
The king wouldn't lie, he more than likely had an accident in his robes, and before the lord could reconsider, he found a hand gripping the hilt of the knife, bringing it closer to his eyes. The blade had undergone a dramatic change. Instead of the engravings being a bright halcyon, they were stained a putrid crimson, the hilt a filthy onyx. Something shot through the king, and Pit cried out. Pain rippled across the scar underneath his heart, the same created when he lost his brother. Could it be...? Unfortunately for Pit, the vision occurred and his train of thought derailed.
Again there is the scene of battle. Two figures in a much varied scene, a bedroom perhaps. There is clearly a woman and a man who has wings. There's a great roar as the woman launches something at the male. It is green, scaly, and thorned. It hits the foe in the chest, and there's a bright flash. An arcane bolt shoots wildly out into the vicinity. Fast forward, two amber eyes peer out of the darkness. Kuro grins darkly, before swinging something downward out of view. A face appears out of the gloom, bloodied and innocent. Palutena Icarus holds out a rose, pearly white in color, a tidal wave of crimson splattering it as she screams, a blade protruding from her chest. The very last image seen is Pit bent down on his knees, sobbing, his mother's body nearby. Kuro is crying, in his hands is the pearly white rose, now stained dark. All he can hear his brother repeat over and over again is that he watched Pit kill her. Without mercy, Pit Icarus slaughtered his mother.
The vision ripped itself away from Pit, and the king gave a cry, falling back to the tiled floor. How much time had passed, he could not tell. Through the midst of all confusion, there seemed to be someone shouting belligerently on the other side of the door. The wooden frame gave way, and there in the cloud of dust and wood shavings stood Primid, drenched in sweat, his sword out, face twisted in terror.
"My lord, your cries could be heard from the outside. Are you alright?" Primid asked, tentative on getting closer.
Pit looked up at his most trustworthy warrior, giving a crazed smile, a smile causing the battle hardened fighter to take a nervous step back. All the king heard was mumbling, a loud static noise filled his ears as he stood to his feet. Primid hovered on his feet with uncertainty, but asked out another question that would turn out being imperceptible to the diamond lord's ears.
The king went for the knife, instinctively his hands ached for it. He turned back to Primid, his cheerful eyes a pitiful black, dark as the night and the deepest abyss in any of the oceans. Primid let out a low cry for help, and then Pit lunged.
Pit dove the blade straight into Primid's chest, burying the knife hilt deep, his black eyes slowly fading back to the glowing blue. Horror was telltale on the king's face as he stumbled back, letting go of the weapon. Primid sputtered heavily, crimson jets spraying everywhere, the poor diamond lord getting doused in the warrior's blood. The most reliable ally in the Icarus court stumbled to both knees, before falling face first onto the stone ground. Cardinal leaflets broke out from the corpse, and as Shulk rounded the corner from all the relentless screaming, he got a look of the pure terror plastering Pit's face.
He expected the necromancer to apologize somewhat, his intone grave wrong.
Shulk tilted his head back and laughed.
The necromancer laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed.
There we are you guys! A quick 3k chapter for you all, but a lot already revealed to us. If you haven't already guessed it, this is our building, our true building action and our climax is coming soon, so soon that you won't see it coming. We have to take a quick moment of silence for our dear friend Primid. Not given much spotlight, his featured role really let us know how Shulk's influence spread, our warrior showed everyone that even in the darkest moments they'll stand by your side no matter what. I originally wasn't going to kill him here, but I did indeed have Primid destined to die in this story. Originally Shulk was going to stab him with the same knife after Pit babbled the whole plot to his cabinet, but realized I can save that for a particular other person later on... keep your eyes peeled. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. What do you think happened realistically with the knife in Pit's possession? Is our necromancer now slowly starting to control our king? Is there any sight of victory in sight? I shall keep you in the dark on this for awhile. But, anyways, thanks for reading! I love you all so much! I shall see you sometime hopefully later this week with Chapter #15: The Cube's Calling. If you already haven't, please go vote on the poll on my profile to this story, it'll mean a lot to see what you guys think. Right now, Pit is in the lead as he's our main character, but there's a few votes in other character spots I didn't necessarily expect. For the like third time, you guys are amazing for reading and reviewing. Love you all! Have an amazing day! Bye!
~ Paradigm