Chapter 22:
"Stupid!"
The lightning-blasted tree that had led Bismuth and her friends astray earlier that day creaked and moaned under the weight of her fist, before finally snapping and crashing to the ground.
"Stupid!" she repeated, this time slicing at the thick trunk of a nearby willow tree, angrily swatting the falling branches out of her face. The willow tree began to tip over from the force of Bismuth's cut, and she jumped out of the way just as one of the branches tried to wrap itself around her.
"Stupid...stupid…"
The thoughts of homeworld, of Tiger's Eye, of Celica being dragged off by that Gilgamesh guy, evaporated. Bismuth turned back to see the results of her frenzy; a labyrinth of fallen trees, leaves of orange and yellow covering the snowy ground. A lavender mist was beginning to overtake the forest air, emanating out of the orifices of the fallen trees. It had no smell, and yet Bismuth found herself oddly at peace.
Bismuth unclenched her fists, and sat against the fallen trunk of the willow tree. She looked down at her hands, chipped and scraped. Splinters and other organic shrapnel punctured her skin, resembling shattered gem shards.
It wasn't the first time her frustration had boiled over like this. There had been a battle between the Crystal Gems, back when they were at full strength, against Holly Blue Agate's platoon in a forest much like this one. They were protecting a human settlement the Diamonds had targeted for gathering specimens for Pink Diamond's Human Zoo.
Rose had fought with every ounce of strength in her gem, so that a pile of quartzes and citrines lay beneath her feet. Bismuth and the other gems fought with similar vigor, even though their strength paled in comparison to hers, so that by the time Holly Blue entered the battle themselves, they could barely hold their weapons.
"Don't back down!" Rose called, but even her voice seemed shallow and weak. Bismuth and Rose's Pearl had been fighting back-to-back for most of the battle, so Bismuth had a clear view of Holly Blue wrapping Pearl in her whip, and destabilizing her with its kinetic energy in a moment of seconds. Bismuth, who had only recently come into being, had never seen a gem lose its form before, and assumed Holly Blue had just destroyed her friend.
Bismuth forgot where she was, and instead fell to the ground, wrapping her arms around Pearl's gem, hoping that at any moment she would somehow emerge and rejoin the battle.
There was a pang in her gem, and she looked up just in time to see Holly Blue, whip wrapped around Rose's torso, shocking her just as she had Pearl. Bismuth could not allow another friend to be destroyed on this day. Bismuth bounded forward with the strength of three Rose's, smashing through anything that stood between her and Holly Blue, homeworld or crystal gem or otherwise. Holly Blue only turned just in time to receive a punch right in the nose, the force sending her crashing through two tree trunks before landing in a thicket of some thorny plant.
"What have you done?" Rose asked, once Bismuth had helped her to feet. The stinging of knietic energy against her gem seemed to jumpstart Bismuth's conscience.
"Saved you," Bismuth said. She turned back to see the Crystal Gems, moaning and rubbing their heads.
Bismuth knew how dangerous she could be when she was angry...too dangerous, according to Rose. From then on, Bismuth's role within the Crystal Gems seemed to diminish. When Rose presented her with her very own weapons smithery for the first time, Bismuth knew the reason why; to keep her away from the battlefield.
The mission with Tiger's Eye had been her first operation in over a century. She was sure news of Tiger's Eye's shattering had reached Rose, as had the news of the massacre that followed. There was no way she would return to Rose after that.
Which had led her to Celica. The first human Bismuth had ever felt any connection with (at least, until Saber joined the group a few minutes later). Even though memories and visions of Tiger's Eye continued to haunt her, Celica and Saber had given her a purpose. But now, they too were gone; Celica captured, and Saber surely hunting for her "master."
Bismuth gritted her teeth at the thought of Saber, hopelessly pursuing the girl even though she was no match for Gilgamesh. What had Celica done to earn the privilege of being someone's "master?" And why did Rose defend humans like them so, when they seemed to have even fewer scruples than gemkind?
"If you continue your rampage, I will prevent you."
Bismuth stopped just short of slicing another willow tree in half, and turned around to see Halcyon and Saber, frowning at her. Torn between exasperation and relief at seeing Saber, Bismuth's hands returned to their normal shape.
"My Master would not want you to destroy the forest."
"Yeah, but she's your master, not mine. I'm my own gem, Saber."
"That may be, but you decided to come with us back. If you truly are a proud warrior, then you will help us find her."
Bismuth sighed and unclenched her fists.
"I'm done here. I'm going to find Rose. Don't get in my way."
"The sword you were trying to repair...I've done it."
Bismuth faced Halcyon, unable to hide the glint in her eyes.
"And?"
"Saber tells me you are quite the blacksmith. Unfortunately, not even you would have been able to fix this blade. It's imbued with divine magic, meaning only those high-ranking sages of the Duma or Mila faithful could effectively piece it together again."
"Why am I supposed to care?" Bismuth responded, folding her arms to appear more intimidating, though she couldn't hide the slightest smirk as Halcyon withdrew the sword from its sheath.
"This is more than a sword. It is a key of sorts, to a weapon far greater than any known weapon in existence."
On Earth, maybe, Bismuth thought to herself.
"Here," he said, stepping forward and placing it in Bismuth's hand. To her, it was nothing more than an ordinary dagger, one an Emerald pirate would likely use. If this were truly a legendary weapon, or a placekeeper for a better weapon, it certainly didn't feel like one.
"That's great and all," Bismuth said, handing the weapon back to Halcyon. "But my adventure with y'all ends here. I've got my own war to fight…"
"This is no longer your own war," Saber said, her eyes flashing. "You, and every other creature that draws breath on this planet, is now a player in Gilgamesh's game. If he awakens Duma, everyone loses."
Bismuth sighed, sitting on the trunk of the willow tree she had felled. Knowing Rose, she was involved in the conflict as well, meaning Garnet, Pearl, and the other surviving Crystal Gems were fighting as well.
"From your expression, I gather this 'Rose' is the type who will challenge Gilgamesh, am I correct?"
Yes, because the Earth saved her.
But what had the Earth ever done for Bismuth? Taken away her best friend? Marooned her and her allies from the Homeworld where they had been raised?
"Rejoin your friends if you wish," said Saber, turning her back on Bismuth and heading north. "But take it from someone with experience...if you fight for something, you must be prepared to lose those you care about along the way."
Halcyon and Bismuth watched as Saber's form was slowly obscured by the purple fog.
"Who was it?" Bismuth asked, before Saber could completely disappear. "I saw it in your eyes this morning. You've lost someone too. Was it your best friend?"
Saber paused.
"He was more than a friend."
Saber sprinted ahead. The fog dissipated soon enough, but not before Saber was gone.
"...Leave us…"
The voice was like the hissing of a snake in Rudolf's ear. He heard the heavy thumping of his guards leaving his bedside, followed by the creaking of heavy wooden doors slowly shutting. He felt a hand wrap around his left foot, two fingers traversing the surface of his skin, checking for any sign of weakness.
"Remarkable," Berkut said listlessly. "Some would say you cling to life like a sloth to a tree."
"And...what would you say?" Rudolf rasped, the room slowly swimming into view. Hazy sunlight filtered into the room. A thin layer of dust was kicked up with every step Berkut took towards his bedside, milling in the pale light of the room. Rudolf could not remember a time his chamber had been so filthy, and even as he placed a hand on his bedside dresser for a second in order to prop himself up, he could feel a layer of grime cling to his hand.
"I would call you a corpse who does not know he is dead."
"So, you know what I know."
Berkut's practiced smile flickered.
"And what's that?"
"That you plan to kill me and take the throne."
Berkut rested a hand on Rudolf's forehead.
"Careful, old man. Don't let the sickness cloud your judgment. That is a serious accusation to level against your own flesh and blood."
"Then what is this gargoyle-piss your wife has forced down my throat?"
Rudolf cocked his head in the direction of a clay goblet at his bedside, containing a green liquid. It was half empty.
Berkut didn't answer, instead moving towards the window, observing the endless mountains flanking the castle.
"The sun may be out, but today will be frightfully cold. It is certainly not a good day to be traveling…"
Rudolf knew what the boy was hinting at, but he would not show signs of surprise or fear. Bedridden as he was, the heart of a lion beat within Rudolf, and he was still emperor.
"Strange, how even when the Earth wishes to be cold, the sun still rises everyday in a vain attempt to warm us. Clinging to power even when it has none."
Berkut's reflection in the dusty window smirked.
"Last night, Fernand and a task force of soldiers left the castle without reporting their intentions. You wouldn't have anything to do with it, would you, Emperor?" Berkut asked, placing venomous emphasis on "Emperor."
Rudolf said nothing.
"Fernand is my commandant, and I gave no order for him to travel into the Rigelian mountains. Even if that is where the criminal Alm and his alien cohorts were last sighted."
Rudolf turned to the boy, smiling placidly. Never had the emperor looked so content to Berkut, even as he was surely racked with pain.
"You realize that Alm and his friends are certainly drumming up a foolhardy plan to attack the capital, your castle, in desperation? I would expect you to show a bit more concern."
The particles of dust floating around the room began to attract one another. Rudolf decided to focus on this instead of Berkut.
"Very soon, it will no longer be my empire to rule. You and I both know that."
Berkut rubbed his shoulders and shook.
"It's a bit cold in here, don't you think? Perhaps I should light a fire?"
Berkut moved to the fireplace, placing his hand upon Rudolf's favorite shield, a crimson one with the eye of the Rigelian Dragon emblazoned in platinum upon the front. He had wielded it in the Battle of Ashinigre, the most glorious day of his life, when his forces handed the Zofians their first defeat in that conflict so long ago. Now, he couldn't help but feel a prickle of anger as the young man moved his hand over its smooth surface, before reaching for the poker just beneath it. He moved the wood back in place, and a few moments later a small orange fire flickered to life.
"Why not just end it now?" Rudolf said. "If you wish to take the throne, take my blade from above the mantelpiece and plunge it through my heart."
Berkut's eyes flashed to the greatsword hanging above the crimson shield, the platinum of the hilt glowing imperiously in the light of the fire. While the shield possessed the eye of the Rigelian Dragon, the sword's hilt possessed the texture of the Dragon's scales.
"I have no intention of murdering you...but if we were to entertain the notion, why would I make it so obvious? Why not go under the pretense that you simply fell ill, and passed away peacefully in your chamber?"
Rudolf's flowing gray hair partially fell over his face, so only one powerful eye regarded Berkut.
"Your heart is weak."
Berkut's stare intensified.
"You cannot stomach glory. You cannot stomach conflict. You cannot stomach the emotions that come with taking someone else's life. So you let your wife do it, and poison her heart in the process?"
"Don't you dare…"
"Your wife's heart is stronger than yours. You should know that she was obedient to you, and did indeed feed me whatever this goblin gargle is to me each night. But every time before she did, I could see some of the light leave her eyes…"
"And what do you know about her!?" Berkut said, casting the poker aside, sending logs of firewood tumbling across the floor. "She is my wife, your blood only by marriage. My destiny is her destiny, and the new world we will create, we shall rule together."
Rudolf closed his eyes, and attempted to rub his temple, though his fingers were too numb to feel anything. The dust particles he had been studying before had moved closer together, and though it seemed to be a trick of the light, they looked like the outline of a person.
"Your wife's heart is stronger than yours," Rudolf repeated, his voice stronger than it had been in months. "In the beginning she did pour the poison down my throat, but after seeing the effects, she has held back! That is why I can speak to you today!"
"No, you-"
"Listen to me!" Rudolf said as loudly as his voice would allow. "Destiny is not a gift, it is something that one attains through their actions! You can start today towards a better destiny! I do not know who or what has poisoned your mind, but it is not too late to turn back."
Berkut tore at his hair with his hands and emitted a horrible mix of a bark and a shriek. In three violent steps, Berkut had grabbed Rudolf by his cheeks and pulled the old man's face close to his.
"Shut up! You know nothing about me or my wife! We will rule this world, and if we need to sit upon your decaying body, so be it!"
Berkut shoved Rudolf's face away from him, the rapidity of the motion making Rudolf's vision blurred. When his vision returned, Berkut was standing over him again, the goblet of poison in hand.
"If I must pour this down your throat, I will…"
Berkut pushed his fingers under Rudolf's lips, forcing his mouth open. Resist as Rudolf might, the young man was surprisingly strong, and a manic expression Duma himself would fear had spread against his face. Rudolf tried to move his legs, tried to put his arms over Berkut's face, but they hung limp like the frozen branches of a tree on a windless day.
Just as the cold of the goblet touched Rudolf's lips, just as its contents threatened to cross over the lip and into the emperor's gullet, Berkut turned and chucked it away. It landed in the fire, which exploded for a moment with a bright green flash, before extinguishing itself.
Berkut let the wheezing man collapse upon the bed, before collapsing himself into the armchair before the fire, cradling his head in his arms.
"Perhaps...I was wrong…" Rudolf gasped. "Perhaps...Rinea had foreseen this…"
There was a knock on the door. Berkut nor Rudolf said anything. The knock came again, louder.
"Enter," Berkut said, wiping at his eyes. A young man entered the room, in the crimson slacks typical of a Rigelian squire.
"My lord, I was told to let you know…"
The young man's glance fell on Rudolf, who attempted to smile. His lips seemed to have frozen shut at the sight of the emperor.
"Spit it out," Berkut barked, in an attempt to regain his composure.
"S-Sir Fernand has returned, my Lord."
Berkut stood up and leered down at the boy.
"Take me to him," he said, and with a nod the boy ventured down the hall. With one last glance at the floor of the emperor's bedchamber, he followed. It only took a few minutes for the emperor to fall asleep once more, not aware that the peculiar gathering of dust particles had begun to move towards him.
