Chapter 25. Despair.

Arthur laid as still as he could, trying not to writhe in pain. He'd been walked all the way to the manor and shoved into a cell before his feet were crushed just like his hands and he simply laid there on his side, in too much pain to move. He was thinking, he knew he had to find a way out of this. He had to do something before he died. He wasn't about to be the first Trickster to not accomplish anything.

He heard people walking past him and he didn't bother to look up. Just some other prisoner in the dungeons or something. Nothing for him to be worried about.

"Arthur?"

That voice made Arthur pause in this thinking and he glanced up at the people walking past his cell. Francis and Antonio. Gilbert had been taken in at the same time as Arthur and he had no doubt that those two would join Gilbert, waiting their own execution. Arthur's heart sank as he matched Francis' gaze. He hadn't expected them to get caught as well. This was his fault.

Arthur didn't say anything, didn't trust his voice not to shake, as they passed and he heard a cell door slam closed. Guards stayed poised around the room, all of them keeping a wary eye out for Arthur. No one was allowed to speak, even Francis had gotten hit for just saying one word. They had to find a way out of this.

The door to the dungeons opened again and this time, Arthur heard the footsteps painfully clearly as they walked with purpose right towards him. Arthur felt his heart sink. He didn't look up at the person that stopped in front of his cell. If he did, he knew he would have tried something and just wind up making a fool of himself.

"So you're the Trickster?" Came an amused laugh from the person in front of him and Arthur bit his lip. Hard. He couldn't talk. He couldn't look up. He couldn't give this man any of what he wanted. He could already taste blood. God, he wanted to hurt that man so bad, kill him…take revenge for his family…but he couldn't. "No wonder it was so easy to catch you."

"After you spent 20 years looking," Gilbert scoffed, always one to disobey rules. Arthur's heart sank even more when he heard Gilbert grunt in pain after being hit. Again.

"I look forward to killing you with my own hands," the man in front of him said, in the happiest voice he could possibly muster. His voice was dark, leaving hardly any room for anything positive. It was a wonder he found a wife so he could continue his bloody family line. "Or maybe I should kill your friends first. Make you watch."

"Do what you want to me," Arthur said, thoroughly surprised at how even his voice came out. "Leave them out of it. They don't even hold magic."

"But they know about it," the man said and Arthur closed his eyes tightly to prevent himself from looking up. "That's plenty. They're just as much criminals as you are."

"You can torture me all you like, don't force them through that," Arthur stated.

"Torture you?" the man scoffed. "That would mean I allow you to live. That's dangerous. Can't have that. You might use some of that putrid magic of yours. No, I'll kill you swiftly. Those three I can torture afterwards."

That was when Arthur looked up at the man and he could see the pitch black aura that surrounded him. Arthur had no idea what had clouded the man's heart so much, but that didn't matter anymore, he was beyond helping and the suffocating aura was enough to tell that. Ghostly white hair, eyes that were as black as his aura, and a military uniform, the one he was rumored to never take off. He was dressed for winter, despite the season being summer, but the man didn't seem to give a damn. Nikolas Braginski. He smirked at Arthur, a triumphant smirk.

"Maybe as long as your hands stay crushed, I'll allow you to watch the show for a while," the man said nonchalantly. "While you're bleeding out slowly."

The man gave orders to the guards to watch over Arthur even closer and Arthur glared at the man as he walked away, back from where he came, no doubt to set up the execution he had planned in his head.

Arthur moved his first finger on his right hand and bit down hard onto his lip once more. It was difficult, but he got it to move. And he could see the magic that came from it through the spell he wanted to make. Arthur smirked slightly, already feeling his hands and feet beginning to heal.

Alfred slowly opened his eyes. His body ached, but it was a dull ache, one he got from sleeping too long, not from…all of his injuries. He took note of what was around him. He was actually in the little hut lived in by Gilbert, Antonio, and Francis, so that was a plus. Those three were currently at the main table, talking quietly about something Alfred didn't pay attention to. There was a blanket thrown over him with care and he was warm. He actually felt kinda safe. At home…Granted, he knew a lot of the feelings he was getting were coming from Arthur, who was staying silent due to the fact that the other half of his brain was feeling guilt. Only guilt.

It was his fault that the outside was like that, he should have tried harder, he should have stayed longer. He could have come up with a better plan. He only blamed himself for what happened and Alfred didn't trust himself enough to say anything. He felt the guilt washing through him in massive waves and he couldn't even think of encouraging things to say to Arthur. Nothing positive could come to mind on that matter.

"Maybe we should try waking him again," Francis muttered and gained both of the Tricksters' attentions. "This is the third day he's been asleep."

"I'm awake," Alfred muttered in a small voice and the three were quiet. "Don't be so surprised."

"Alfred," Antonio said carefully and Alfred noticed that he'd gotten up to stand at the foot of the bed. "Come on, you have to get your strength back after what happened." Alfred felt a pang in his heart and he didn't do if it came from him or Arthur. Maybe it as both of them. "Let's eat. You can explain everything later."

"I don't think I can eat," Alfred said numbly.

"Sure you can," Antonio offered a smile and took hold of Alfred's hand, pulling him up. Alfred flinched out of reflex, but found that his hand didn't even so much as sting anymore. As he sat up, he came face to face with those three. They all looked like they were so full of hope, most likely because Arthur was there now, with them. Alfred knew they could see both of their auras and they should have damn well recognized Arhtur's. After so long. But Arthur was in no mood to come out and talk to them. He hadn't even said anything, he was still in shock. Now that they were safe from danger, he was free to mourn everything.

"It's all my fault, I'm so sorry." The words spilled out of Alfred's mouth and he had no idea whether or not they belonged to him or Arthur. It didn't matter, really. The tears springing to Alfred's eyes were Arthur's and the horrible feeling pooling in Alfred's gut was his own. He was just a horrible mash of himself and Arthur at this point. He looked down, not wanting to cry in front of those three, of all people. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, kid," Gilbert said, gently. Alfred winced. He even got pity from Gilbert now, too.

"No, it's my fault," Alfred and Arthur spoke together. "I never should have…"

"Arthur," Francis said and Arthur sunk very, very far back in Alfred's head. "Whatever you saw or did on top of that wall, it doesn't matter." There was a flicker of anger in Arthur that brought him back forward, taking control of Alfred's mouth, though Alfred didn't mind. He had no idea what to say.

"It's my fault!" Arthur shouted clearly. "I was the idiot that decided to bring back magic. I was stupid for thinking it would work."

"What did you see?" Antonio asked curiously and Alfred furiously shook his head. Arthur agreed.

"You don't want to know," Alfred muttered. "No one does."

"Don't be an idiot," Gilbert scoffed and Alfred winced again. "Bad news is better than no news, which is what we've been getting for the past four hundred years."

"It was nothing," Alfred said breathlessly, refusing to look up at all.

"It is more than nothing, it is important," Francis urged.

"No, it was nothing!" Alfred shouted, balling his hands into tight fists, his nails biting into the palms of his hands. Arthur was shouting with him and Alfred had no idea when they got so in synch that they shared each other's thoughts, but it scared him slightly. "It was nothing! No trees, no people, no hope…No magic…There was nothing beyond that wall."

"Do you wanna know why it took so long for us to find the next Trickster?" Gilbert asked and Alfred didn't look up. "Once a Trickster's life force is gone, another one is born, that same instant. Somewhere in this world. The reason it took four hundred years for us to get Alfred here is because there is more than just nothing out there. There are people who are living, who needed a Trickster and were thankful for him. You just couldn't see them. Without what you did, Arthur, four hundred years wouldn't have gone by like that. It wasn't nothing."

"I can't do it," Alfred whispered, shaking his head. "I can't…I…" He never knew before Arthur's memories that the Trickster was so important. That, when they did what they were supposed to do, they were supposed to die. Arthur was the one exception. They were supposed to do something big and important for the world. But what if it backfired? What if bringing magic to the world just created chaos? What would Alfred even do? He would just mess it up even more. "I don't want this."

"You hardly have a choice," Francis said.

"I want one!" Alfred snapped. This time Arthur was staying silent. Apparently Gilbert's words worked on him, but not Alfred. "I want a goddamn choice for once! I don't want to die! I don't want to change anything! I don't want to be in love with Ivan! I just want to go back to my brother and live my fucking life! I want a fucking choice…"

"You…love him?" Francis faltered slightly.

"Stop getting so hung up on that," Alfred snapped, finally looking up at the three, who looked so lost and helpless that Alfred knew he couldn't possibly get any good advice. But he was going to stay right there, where he felt safe. And he wasn't about to leave and get himself caught again. He knew neither he or Arthur could handle that. "It fucking happened, I know it's not gonna do anything. It's bullshit and I know it. It's not my fault, okay? Just go past it."

"Well," Antonio offered a smile that Alfred couldn't return. He wasn't even sure if his lips remembered how to smile. "It looks like you've been through a lot. Take as long as you need to cool off. We're right here and we won't be going anywhere."

"I can't do this," Alfred muttered to himself as Antonio returned to the table and the hut remained quiet. Alfred couldn't be like Arthur, giving up everything, prepared to give his life for what he believed in. Alfred didn't even know what he, himself needed to do as a Trickster. What was the point? He was supposed to be a man with a mission, a man who could change something. But what was there to change other than something he couldn't change?

So, one thing I would like to say really quick; I looked up pictures of General Winter to get a good grip of how he actually looks, right? And I don't know how or why, but someone drew him in a pose where he looks like a magical girl, not lying. I was dying for a while, but I had to be serious for the sake of Arthur's story. But he was winking at me the whole time.

Anyway, serious chapter is serious. What was over the wall was a major blow to both of them and the despair is bringing them closer in their minds, which is dangerous if they want to stay separate people. Next chapter, we'll get a little Ivan back, I know we've missed him. On the bright side, the Trio are back, though they're not very well equipped to deal with this situation…

Anywho, please review! It's super nice!