Chapter 12
"What you propose is impossible! Theoretically, yes, I can remove it; but it is not a mere crystal that binds the power of Mikhail to the Raggs family. Even if I could separate the Eye from its host there is no guarantee you would survive the assimilation."
"This is not what we agreed upon, Miroku," said Ayanami menacingly.
"I said I could remove it and maybe extract some of its power; I never gave any indication that it could be transferred to a new host. You made that assumption yourself."
"You led me to believe that if I handed the crown prince alive to you, you would turn over the Eye to me."
"The Eye, yes; not its power! Mikhail's link to the Raggs family was established generations ago. It was a pact of blood and soul. Even I can't undo that."
"Then what use would it be to me?" asked Ayanami, growing more impatient by the second.
"Undeniable proof of the Raggs family's demise? A fast track into the Emperor's good graces? Why should I care what you want a glorified glass bead for?"
"The emperor? You think my objective is to be acknowledged by that pathetic figurehead? You disappoint me, Miroku."
"Oh? I believe you need to have some manner of deference for a person before you can be disappointed in them," Miroku retorted sarcastically while stroking his moustache.
Ayanami let an almost inaudible chuckle escape his lips. "Indeed. You have once again demonstrated your absolute incompetence, Miroku."
"Careful, boy. Your impertinence loses its charm rather quickly. Need I remind you that you address your superior?"
"You may, if you think it will make any difference this time."
"Insubordination is a serious offence," said Miroku.
"So is treason," replied Ayanami somberly. "Yet here we both are."
"How dare you!?" shouted Miroku suddenly standing up. "I should have you arrested for even suggesting-!"
"Millea," that was all it took to silence the enraged man.
"W- what…?" Miroku dazedly stared at the younger man as he collapsed back onto his seat.
"You loved her as if she were your own daughter and yet-."
"A monster with no heart or soul like you could never understand!"
"Without a heart or soul, you say? Perhaps you are right," he pondered amusedly. "A monster of your very own creation."
"What in Heaven's name are you on about now, boy?"
"You are, after all, the one who shattered them," said Ayanami. "Buried them underneath the ruins of the palace you obliterated the night the war ended. Along with your beloved niece," he spat the word distastefully.
"It wasn't my fault!" argued Miroku desperately. "If the child had been killed like I ordered… none of this would have… Millea wouldn't have… she would be… here."
"Ten years," said Ayanami in irritation. "Ten years and that is the best excuse you can produce?"
"I… I did everything in my power!"
"And that was the extent of it?" asked Ayanami as he stood from his seat and slowly approached the older man.
"I tried to protect her! She wasn't supposed to be there that night! I couldn't…" Miroku shakily felt around his right pocket for a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat that was covering his forehead.
"Couldn't what? Ensure a single woman was not in the palace during the siege you ordered? You useless old man. You didn't deserve her." None of us did, he thought remorsefully.
"My men had orders to find her and bring her back unharmed!" pleaded Miroku as if his very life depended on it.
"Then they failed. You failed," he said, glowering down at him. His gaze burning through him as if it were the flames of hell itself.
"As did you!" he blurted before he could stop himself. In hindsight, he thought, that was probably not the best choice of words in his current situation.
"Yes," replied Ayanami, reaching for his sword. "But unlike you I intend to correct the mistakes I made."
"Have you lost your mind, boy!? This is high treason! They will have your head for this!" screamed Miroku as he jumped from his chair kicking it back as he stood.
"A man in your position doesn't have the luxury of worrying about another's head."
"Wha- what about the Eye? You know I'm the only one who can remove it! I- I'll imbue it into you! I promise you I'll find a way to make it work!" Miroku begged, falling to his knees.
"Your word means nothing to me," a look of utter disgust clouded his eyes.
Miroku panicked. He tried to stand up but was quickly kicked back down. In his desperation he started screaming for the guards but no one came to his aid. Only now did he realize how careless he had been in following Ayanami all the way to the Black Hawks' barracks.
It was at that instant, as he looked into Ayanami's devil-like lavender eyes, that the image of Millea's flower garden floated into his mind. The perfume invaded his memory as he closed his eyes.
He could see her in his mind, as clearly as if she were standing right before him, the splitting image of his departed sister. If only he could have saved her. Just her. Perhaps in the end he did deserve this. Comeuppance. After everything he had done it was only fair.
"You have failed me for the last time, Miroku."
"So, in the end the blast… everything… it was all…"
"Me," replied Mikhail without hesitation.
Hyuuga could do nothing but stare in utter shock as he listened to the archangel's words. The entire foundation of the Barsburg Empire, its very first resounding victory, all of it was nothing but a lie.
"But you… you were their guardian," said Hyuuga, still trying to wrap his head around the information he had just learned.
"Yes," admitted Mikhail regretfully. "And I failed them."
Silence befell the room for a moment while Mikhail assessed the mortal for any kind of reaction before he continued speaking.
"My binding to the Raggs family was established many human lifetimes ago. It was by the pleas of one Welfrim Raggs that our contract came to be. Through the sacrifice of his life and soul, he bound the destiny of his entire lineage and kingdom to me. In truth, the passing of the Conduit, what you refer to as the Eye, is meant to be a ritual held when the heir of the Raggs name comes of age but…"
"But King Krom was already dead," Hyuuga finished as the story started unraveling in his mind.
Mikhail grimaced and groaned in frustration as the memories of his shortcomings were brought back into the light.
"Killed," he corrected mournfully. "By the treacherous machinations of the despicable creature your master is undoubtedly recruiting to, once again, attempt to obtain a power which they are not worthy of."
"So, what really happened that night?" asked Hyuuga, trying to get the conversation back on track.
"After my former Master's untimely demise my connection to the mortal world was severed. Unfortunately, beyond mere speculation, I cannot say with certainty what transpired during that time but, thereafter the Conduit was instilled within my current Master. An innocent infant of no more than six years of age.
"He found himself in the midst of a bloodbath, surrounded by enemies. Confusion and fear paralyzed his fragile body as he feebly cried for help and I could do nothing. I watched as they slaughtered the others and did not interfere.
"My sole concern at the time was the preservation of my Master's life. A child that would most likely be unable to withstand the trauma from the usage of the power I wield. I was prepared to wait until the last possible instant to ensure risking his life was an inescapable choice. Regrettably, it seems he was not as he activated the power of the Conduit. Whether this was done on purpose or sheer terror driven instinct I… truly do not know.
"What transpired consequently is what you are acquainted with; the blast which obliterated Raggs Palace and extinguished every mortal's life within it. Friend and foe."
"They called it a 'necessary sacrifice'," said Hyuuga, laughing bitterly. "How ridiculous. What kind of idiot would want to take credit for the massacre of thousands of their own?"
"An ingenious strategist."
"I suppose making the whole world believe you have a weapon capable of ending a war in an instant is a smart idea," he pondered aloud after a moment.
"That was not the only purpose," clarified Mikhail. "The existence of the Conduit was a secret known only to the Raggs royal family. The possibility of that information being revealed to the rest of humanity would have been detrimental to your emperor. Another war could have begun in order to seize it and after the casualties sustained during the conflict with the Raggs Kingdom your empire would have been decimated."
"So how does Aya-tan know about you then? Or Miroku for that matter…"
"Millea Klein. My Master's mother and former Master's lover," replied Mikhail.
Hyuuga cocked an eyebrow and paused thoughtfully. Try as he might he could not recall the name of the queen of the Raggs Kingdom but that one did not seem to ring any bells.
"Are you sure about that? I don't think that was Krom's wife's name," he finally said.
"Indeed, she was not. She was but a mere concubine, albeit a favored one. She was made privy of the existence of the Conduit and she in turn relayed this information to another. That hateful scoundrel you call Miroku. That simple incident was the spark that ignited the entire war."
"You don't mean-?"
"Their true objective was never land; it was me. The fools. Obtaining the Conduit means nothing. They sought to seize a power they could never obtain. So many lives needlessly lost to their ignorance," Mikhail lamented, remembering the events from ten years prior.
"This is unbelievable," sighed Hyuuga, trying to imagine exactly how many other lies the Barsburg Empire was built upon. He regarded Mikhail for a moment as he ran through the information one more time in his head and suddenly a question came to mind. "Why Teito?" he finally asked. "If he was the son of a mere mistress, surely that would have made him unfit to inherit the Raggs name."
"He was the only one," replied Mikhail. "The Queen was unable to produce offspring of her own and therefore it was decided by the King and his council that my Master would be presented to the world as her child. His birthmother was moved to a villa away from the city and often received visitations from the King and his son, for a time, until the Queen forbade it for fear of the truth being brought to light."
"So, they just… discarded her?"
"Yes," said Mikhail. "And in retaliation she divulged the secret of the Raggs family to your empire, costing hundreds upon thousands of humans their lives."
"Can't say I blame her…"
"I do."
Hyuuga regarded Mikhail with interest. He had witnessed the archangel's angry outbursts before and could even admit, if only to himself, that he had felt a tinge of fear staring into his crimson eyes; but this was different. He could see the loathing in his gaze and hear the revulsion in his voice as the words left his mouth. I don't even want to imagine the kind of eternity he prepared for her arrival, he thought, remembering the archangel's past threats.
"Does the account of an almighty god's failing amuse you?" Mikhail suddenly interrupted his musings as he noticed the distinct smirk on the mortal's face.
"Well, I suppose so. Yes," he replied after a moment of consideration.
Mikhail unceremoniously dropped himself on a nearby armchair and sighed dejectedly. "Will you not at least attempt to deceive me out of caution? I truly have fallen, then."
"To be fair, I wasn't really exercising any caution before either," said Hyuuga, grinning cheerfully while taking a seat opposite of him.
"You… truly are a most peculiar human."
"Is that a compliment? Coming from you? I'm touched."
"That is an odd interpretation. I merely stated an attribute you possess; not necessarily a positive one, at that."
"You have called me a fool, a buffoon, a scoundrel… you know, just to mention a few. I see this as an improvement."
Mikhail seemed to be taken aback for an instant. "I… You have my apologies," he finally grumbled in a low voice.
"What's that?" asked Hyuuga cupping his hand behind his ear.
"I shan't reiterate myself."
"That's all right, I heard you loud and clear. 'You are so great, oh benevolent Master Hyuuga, I wish you were the holder the Eye,' Yes, I know, I know, I'm the best."
"Oh? Do you intend to propound you would constitute a suitable vessel for the Conduit?"
"Depends. Is that an offer?" asked Hyuuga, leaning forward.
Mikhail retreated backwards. "Then you too covet my power after all?"
"The power to blow up half a city with the snap of my fingers? To kill hundreds of thousands with a single thought?" he smiled devilishly, paused for a moment and shrugged. "Nah, I'm a simple man. I prefer to do my killing with a sword. It's more personal," he spoke the last word as if he were savoring it.
"You wish me to believe you are a mortal with neither fear nor desire?"
"Not at all. I have plenty of desires, in fact," replied Hyuuga, staring purposefully into his eyes.
"Keep my Master out of your vulgar, lecherous delusions, human," warned Mikhail.
"Vulgar!? I'll have you know I am a refined gentleman! My lecherous delusions are nothing if not tasteful and captivating," defended Hyuuga. "My behaviour, on the other hand, I make no promises about."
"I would advise you not to put my patience to the test, mortal. You will quickly find I possess no sense of humour when it pertains my Master."
"Oh, it's not him I would worry about," said Hyuuga, smiling reassuringly. Somehow this only seemed to further unsettle Mikhail.
"Why would I focus my attention on any other? My Master's welfare is-."
"Yes, yes," sighed Hyuuga. "You are no fun at all."
"Perhaps you too would not be as merry in a position such as mine."
"Godhood? I wouldn't be so sure about that."
"Powerlessness," replied Mikhail resentfully. "Can you possibly comprehend the agony of reckoning with one's own incapability of fulfilling one's duty?"
"You've got to be kidding me," Hyuuga seemed uncharacteristically irked by the question. "Can I comprehend it? Of course I can. Welcome to the human condition. You are really not going to like it… no one usually does…"
"You mean you spend the entirety of your lives sustaining this torment?" the genuine surprise in Mikhail's voice took Hyuuga aback for a moment.
"Why exactly do you think the king of Raggs sought your protection? Didn't you ever speak about this?"
"Certainly not! I have never consorted with mortals," replied Mikhail almost insulted. Hyuuga did not know whether to feel humbled or confused. "My allegiance to the Raggs Family is but a covenant I was bound to ages ago. I am duty bound to protect the bearer of the Conduit and his kingdom but I never revealed myself to them. It is doubtful they ever grasped the source of the power they wielded."
"I thought you were quite smitten with Teito-kun," said Hyuuga bemusedly.
"Indeed, out of all the hosts who have carried the Conduit he is my most favoured. His beauty and intelligence eclipse all of the others by far."
"And in all these years you've never talked to him?"
"No."
"Why?" asked Hyuuga curiously.
"He must not learn of my presence. The risk is too great," replied Mikhail.
"The risk of him causing another blast?"
"Amongst others, yes."
"Couldn't you just stop him?"
"I cannot act against my Master's wishes; which is why my existence must remain unknown to him. If he were to use the power of the Conduit once again…" Mikhail trailed off as if he were lost deep in thought.
"But he's used it before. What's stopping him now?"
"He has no recollection of it. Any of it," the archangel finally admitted. "I sealed the memories away deep within his mind. Ten years I have managed to keep him away from his past and your empire. Now, against all odds, your master has begun slowly tearing down every wall I have built in order to keep him safe; and should he succeed-."
"Boom," spoke Hyuuga calmly as he stood up and stretched his limbs. "Well, it's been fun but, if everything you've told me is true, then Aya-tan should probably be heading our way very soon."
"You must not allow him to rekindle my Master's memories," warned Mikhail, grabbing onto the other man's arm. "If he were to regain control of the Conduit there is no telling what magnitude of devastation might occur."
"You don't think he'd purposefully do something like that again, do you? He's a good kid."
"Would you be willing to wager the life of every mortal within this city on it?"
Hyuuga paused to ponder on it for a moment. "Why would you even care about a couple of thousand humans?"
"Unlike you I derive no satisfaction from the senseless loss of life; nor does my Master, but I can sense within him the burning fire of vengeance and a thirst for it which will not be easily quenched."
"If it means anything to you, I don't think his wishes are entirely different from Aya-tan's."
"What are you implying?"
"I'm not implying anything," said Hyuuga. "I'm saying you might want to consider returning the memories you took from him."
"Nonsense! If he were to remember what transpired that night, what he has done!" Mikhail exclaimed in anger. "What could a mere mortal like yourself possibly understand?"
"You may have existed for longer than I have but I have been a human for a lot longer than you," said Hyuuga softly while placing a hand on the archangel's shoulder. "You might be able to protect him from everyone else with your power but you can't protect him from himself."
"How dare you compare me to the likes of you?"
"You know, for an immortal deity, you are being very childish. I suppose we can talk again when you are ready to confront your temporary status as a human," as he walked towards the door he stopped suddenly and looked back at Mikhail. "On the bright side, at least you haven't been consorting with any," he added mockingly before stepping out of the room.
A/N: Happy new year! Hope you enjoy the new chapter.
To be continued…