I'm home. I'm finally home.
Blood Pledge Castle stands before me, and it's never looked so magnificent.
I breeze past all the guards, and dash through the halls, seeking out the one person that I long to see more than anyone. He's not in our room. He's not in the study. He's not in his office either.
I'm confused. Is he outside? I look out the window, and peer down at the courtyard. I see Dakoskos passing out swords to Gwendal and his men, but I don't see Yuuri.
My eyes narrow. Did he wander off to some village or did he go back to Earth?
"That lousy wimp," I hiss underneath my breath. Why the hell would he go home without telling me or brining me along? Rage builds inside me like a wild fire. He's cheating on me, I just know it. That's why he snuck away. I can't believe him. Just when I thought I've returned back to paradise, I only flew back into my cage.
Someone claps a hand on my shoulder, and I jump, spinning around, prepared to attack. I relax once I meet Conrart's gaze, but then I frown upon noticing his livid expression. I tense, feeling all of his anger aimed at me, and my stomach constricts. Too much has happened already. I don't think I can take anymore.
"King Yuuri will see you now." Conrart says, coldly, and walks off, waving for me to follow with a stiff hand. I blink at his back before I jog a little to catch up with him.
"Where is Yuuri?" I ask him, turning my head to look up at him. "I've looked for him everywhere."
"He's in the throne room."
"What's he doing there? Did something happen?"
The only time I saw him in there was when he was coroneted. Throughout the years, he hasn't sat on his throne, and he hasn't held gatherings here to discuss the Demon Kingdom's political affairs. Unlike those who ruled before him, he traveled to the places where certain issues occurred, whether that be in another territory or another country, and he settled the issues there. This is quite unusual. Perhaps Yuuri has chosen to be wiser about this particular issue? Or could it be that Gunter badgered him into doing this?
"He wishes to discuss his relationship with you."
My heart falls. Why would he want to involve others in matters that only concern us? Why couldn't he just talk to me about it in private?
A match is set off inside me.
"This has to be some sick joke. Yuuri never holds any sort of meeting in the throne room."
Conrart stops in front of the tall double doors, slipping his fingers in one of the brass doorknobs, and turns to me. "He held one once while he was engaged to you. That meeting concerned finding him a fair maiden to become his wife, and that's how he met Elizabeth." His lips curl up into a devious grin. "I assume that this meeting will be similar."
I gap at him as the fire that was spawned inside me is doused just as fast. How can he speak down to me like this? I thought that we were past all the cruelties.
Conrart's smirk spreads upon seeing my devastation. Then he turns back to the double doors and opens them. Listlessly, I trail behind him, wanting to know what is going on, knowing that it won't be good. Conrart strides down the red carpet, drops down on one knee in front of Yuuri, and bows his head. Yuuri is seated on his throne with impeccable posture, his lower arms draping the golden arm rests, his legs crossed, his chin held high.
This isn't right. Not at all. Everything is too formal, too cold.
"What pestilence!" I whip my head to the side to see Gunter, Gwendal, and Anissina. All of them are regarding me with disdain. "Offer your respects to the king!" Gunter yells.
Conrart stands, and moves off to the side. I occupy the spot where he stood, and stare at Yuuri in disbelief. "What's going on here?" I ask him, my voice lower than I would've liked. I doubt that he even heard me.
"You broke your promise." Yuuri says, darkly.
My body breaks out in massive shivers. He looks infuriated with me. Murderous, even, and I'm horrified.
Everybody isn't themselves.
They're all monsters and I'm at their mercy.
Slowly, Yuuri pushes himself up from his throne. His body emits a threatening glow that's the color of the ocean at night. His eyes morph into that of a snake's, and they become blood red.
"How dare you break your oath to me?!" He screams, his voice loud enough to shake the entire castle. His dragons come soaring right towards me at great speed.
My leg kicks violently, and I shoot up in bed, breathing heavily, as if I had been underwater for too long. My body is drenched with sweat, my clothes soaked through. I throw the dirty jacket off me, seeing that it's Conrart's, and I take in my surroundings; the remains of a room long dead, filled with dust, bugs, cobwebs, and aged furniture. The thin mattress groans beneath me, and I look down at it to see that it's covered in unidentifiable stains, and that there are small traces of dust.
I assume that Conrart was the one who wiped the majority of dust away. That makes me smile, slightly. Despite all that's happened, he still has the capacity to ensure that I'm comfortable. But the moment is scant, overshadowed by the terrifying dream I just experienced.
I can't stop shaking.
I can't get Yuuri's vicious expression out of my mind. It was so unlike him. His eyes of obsidian held a malice that was the epitome of evil. I've seen a similar look on his face before, and that was after I dueled him for the first time.
He loves you. Please don't forget that.
I spin around, and frantically scan every inch of the room.
"That voice…"
But how can she be here? I thought that she was gone for good.
I gasp upon seeing a group of Big Cimaron soldiers marching. Instantly, I crouch down, out of sight, and hold my breath. Due to the broken window, I'm able to listen in on the enemy's conversation.
"Now that Shin Makoku's army has been obliterated, there's no one standing in our way." One soldiers says.
"That's a relief." Another sighs. "I was nervous when we found out that they had a demon among their ranks."
A third voice scoffs. "You're so pathetic, being afraid of one little demon. King Belar warned us that he was able to use his fire powers, but we don't have to worry about that anymore because the bastard is buried underneath a bunch of rubble."
So they think that I'm dead. Along with the others. I grimace as the horrific image of the landslide flashes back into my mind. Just as fast, I feel a burst of resolve.
I won't let their deaths be in vain.
I crawl over towards the window. I hear a horde of footsteps outside. They're going to overthrow Caloria. They're going to slaughter Lady Tilly, Sir Peter, Sir Paul, Lady Flynn, and all the other innocents residing there. I take a peek. They must've called for reinforcements because there are a lot more soldiers marching than I saw in combat back at the mountain terrain.
Monsters. All of them.
"All particles that dwell in flame, I summon you." I whisper, shooting a line of fire at them, watching them start before they're engulfed by the giant lion that I conjured. A loud, collective death rattle cuts through the air as they all flail and gasp and struggle, their pitiful attempts towards life failing. I stare at them all, my gaze unfaltering, even when Yozak and Conrart burst into the room.
I grin when all of the soldiers lie motionless on the ground, the flames continuing to devour their flesh. I did it. I put an end to these monsters. They can't hurt anybody anymore. They can't take over Caloria and bring harm to the citizens there.
A bout of prides rushes through me. I actually succeeded in preventing a catastrophe from happening. I can't help but laugh, and I can't stop. My stomach clenches and I can hardly breathe. Tears streak down my face as I double over, and I lose control of myself.
Conrart wraps me in his arms and lowers me onto the old wooden floor, causing it to moan.
Yozak crouches and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Excellency, get a hold of yourself!"
"Breathe, Wolfram." Conrart says, gently. He inhales and exhales deeply. I try to mimic what he's doing, but my breaths come out hurried and ragged Conrart is patient, rubbing circles on my back in an attempt to soothe me, as I close my eyes, and pull myself together.
It takes a long time. All of my thoughts are scrambled and overwhelming and it's difficult to untangle them all and sort through them. Later, I think. Not now. There's no time for regret now. I can't change what I did. I can only make the most out of it.
I did what Yuuri told me to do.
Do what you can to make it back to me.
I did the right thing.
I don't like the idea of you killing someone…
I defeated the monster, and I know that I had to become one to do so, and I accept that.
…but I hate the idea of someone killing you.
There are Small Cimaron soldiers everywhere. It's a challenge to elude them. They're at every corner, armed and ready for whatever Big Cimaron soldiers might come their way. I hear random snippets of chatter, and I'm able to determine that they believe all of the warriors from Shin Makoku were killed by the landslide. They don't know that there are three survivors and that one of them is a fire-wielding demon.
I'm about to use my fire power when Conrart takes a hold of my hands. I blink, surprised to see that he's quivering. He's been through so much. He lost most of his squadron and on top of that, he's witnessed my break down. He didn't want me to be exposed to the deaths that I'd have to cause.
My head falls forward, and I grit my teeth.
I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't. I think.
I don't know what to do. Once we get back to Caloria, what then? More fighting? More death? Both Small and Big Cimaron won't stop until one of them conquers Caloria. More people will have to perish over this petty avarice for land and power. There has to be some other way to handle this.
A realization hits me. Yuuri once said that words were the most powerful weapon. In the past, I scoffed at such a childish notion. After all, no one can get anything accomplished over one measly conversation; action needs to be taken. But look where that has gotten me. I'm no longer the naïve youth that used to dream of becoming a warrior, like his brothers. I have seen what they have seen. I have done what they have done.
I have killed.
That nightmare comes to mind.
I've also broken the oath that I made to myself. I swore to follow the examples that Yuuri has set, and I failed to keep that promise.
I stand.
"Wolfram, get down." Conrart harshly whispers.
It might be too late to make things right. It may have been impossible from the start. But I have to try.
"Are you out of your damn mind?" Yozak asks.
I step out into the open, alerting the guards to my presence. Their scurrying causes their weapons and armor to click and clink and I know that I should be scared. However, I'm calm as they bind my wrists together with a rope that makes my skin itch and burn. I don't even feel a spark of anger when they tug roughly at the rope, forcing me forward.
I'm tired. I'm through with all of this nonsense. I'm done with all of the senseless murder.
I want to rid myself of the foreign skin that I have grown; this monster's skin, and I'm hoping that my words will be strong enough to do that.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, everybody! Rest assured, the next chapter will be up much sooner than this one. I've been busy with college work, and working through my own personal problems. Everything is cool now, though. :D
Guest: Yeah, I can only imagine how scarring war is. Thank you so much, so happy that you enjoyed the last chapter! It means a lot.
Sawyer Fan: I'm so glad that I was able to get the intensity across. Oftentimes, I wonder if I'm using the right words to portray what I'm aiming to get across, and it's nice to know that others can feel what I'm writing. Such a huge compliment to me, and I thank you so much for all the praise that you have given this story thus far! You have no idea how much I appreciate it. College is going well. I'm on top of all my work, and I've been going to every class, even when I don't feel like getting out of bed. XD I don't have a job, but I'm planning on writing reviews for anime. It's not a job exactly because I won't get paid, but I feel like it'd be a nice way to get my feet wet. Besides, it'd keep me preoccupied, and I enjoy doing it. How's everything going for you? I hope everything is good on your end. And you're very welcome! I was determined from the start to finish this story, and I'm going to do just that. It's been a wonderful journey, and reviewers like you make that journey much more worthwhile. Much love and huggles!
Winry1021: Thank you so much! I'm glad that this chapter had the impact that I was aiming for. You're right. War is a horrible reality that we don't have to face. Other people do, however, and I can only imagine all the horrors that they go through on a daily basis. I think it'll be a few chapters more before some rays of sunshine break through the dark clouds, but we're well on our way there. So happy that you're enjoying the ride, dear! Love you!
