Chapter 40
Gaspar and Melchior walked along the battlements of Styx castle. They could see the people of the city going about their daily lives, shopping, washing, and playing. Melchior took Gaspar's arm.
"What is it?" he asked, trying to hide his surprise at the gesture.
"I'm scared Gaspar," she said quietly, "I fear for these people, both human and Esper."
"We must trust in the goddesses," he replied evenly.
"I know, but I'm afraid of their rage," she said.
He merely nodded. Suddenly they both looked at each other with dawning surprise.
"Balthazar!" they said in unison.
"Speak of the devil!" said Balthazar with a twinkle as he walked along the battlements toward them.
They ran over to him.
"How did you get here?" asked Gaspar.
Balthazar gestured to a soldier behind him. "Armand was kind enough to escort me through the castle."
"The last time we gathered together was at Queen Lethe's coronation," said Melchior cheerfully.
"Perhaps we can witness her wedding to King Hasdrubal together," countered Balthazar.
Gaspar looked surprised. "Does Poltergeist favor her wedding?"
Balthazar nodded. "Certainly. Does Doom?"
Gaspar grinned. "Naturally, or I wouldn't be here."
By now they noticed Ifrit shyly approaching them.
"Excuse me.," he began hesitantly.
"What can we do for you Ifrit?" asked Melchior trying to hide her smile.
"I've heard it said that the Magi can foresee the future.," he said, scratching his head.
"We can refuse to tell you what we know, assuming we know what you want to know," said Gaspar with a smirk.
Ifrit nodded hastily. "Of course Magus, I would never wish to offend you."
"So this is the legendary Ifrit," said Balthazar appraisingly.
"I don't know about that Magus," replied Ifrit.
"What do you wish to know?" asked Melchior.
"It's about Shiva," said Ifrit.
"Of course," said Gaspar.
Ifrit took a deep breath. "Well, I want to know if she'll.outlive me."
The Magi looked at each other inquisitively.
"I know this one," said Gaspar eventually, "But I can't tell you specifics, understand?"
Ifrit nodded.
"You will die together," said Gaspar.
Ifrit sighed, relieved at first then suddenly horrified.
"Wait, will we be killed?" he demanded grasping Gaspar's sleeve.
Gaspar held up his free hand to Ifrit's face.
"You already know too much," he said curtly, "Now release me."
Ifrit slowly loosened his grip and slunk off despondently.
Melchior started to follow him, but Balthazar's voice stopped her.
"It was his choice," he said.
Melchior slowly turned to face him.
"Are we merely prisoners of our own choices?" she asked.
"We have to take responsibility for our choices," said Gaspar adjusting his sleeve.
"Especially the ones we regret," said Balthazar more to himself then them.
"What choices do you regret most?" asked Mechior.
"Betrayal," replied Balthazar meeting her gaze.
"Duty," said Gaspar looking away.
"Lies," said Melchior with a sigh.
They regarded each other wordlessly. Eventually Odin ran up to them, out of breath.
"Magi," he said.
"Has Queen Lethe accepted King Hasdrubal's proposal?" inquired Balthazar.
Odin's glum expression told them all they needed to know.
"We leave for Tzen in the morning," he said as he turned to go.
Gaspar and Melchior walked along the battlements of Styx castle. They could see the people of the city going about their daily lives, shopping, washing, and playing. Melchior took Gaspar's arm.
"What is it?" he asked, trying to hide his surprise at the gesture.
"I'm scared Gaspar," she said quietly, "I fear for these people, both human and Esper."
"We must trust in the goddesses," he replied evenly.
"I know, but I'm afraid of their rage," she said.
He merely nodded. Suddenly they both looked at each other with dawning surprise.
"Balthazar!" they said in unison.
"Speak of the devil!" said Balthazar with a twinkle as he walked along the battlements toward them.
They ran over to him.
"How did you get here?" asked Gaspar.
Balthazar gestured to a soldier behind him. "Armand was kind enough to escort me through the castle."
"The last time we gathered together was at Queen Lethe's coronation," said Melchior cheerfully.
"Perhaps we can witness her wedding to King Hasdrubal together," countered Balthazar.
Gaspar looked surprised. "Does Poltergeist favor her wedding?"
Balthazar nodded. "Certainly. Does Doom?"
Gaspar grinned. "Naturally, or I wouldn't be here."
By now they noticed Ifrit shyly approaching them.
"Excuse me.," he began hesitantly.
"What can we do for you Ifrit?" asked Melchior trying to hide her smile.
"I've heard it said that the Magi can foresee the future.," he said, scratching his head.
"We can refuse to tell you what we know, assuming we know what you want to know," said Gaspar with a smirk.
Ifrit nodded hastily. "Of course Magus, I would never wish to offend you."
"So this is the legendary Ifrit," said Balthazar appraisingly.
"I don't know about that Magus," replied Ifrit.
"What do you wish to know?" asked Melchior.
"It's about Shiva," said Ifrit.
"Of course," said Gaspar.
Ifrit took a deep breath. "Well, I want to know if she'll.outlive me."
The Magi looked at each other inquisitively.
"I know this one," said Gaspar eventually, "But I can't tell you specifics, understand?"
Ifrit nodded.
"You will die together," said Gaspar.
Ifrit sighed, relieved at first then suddenly horrified.
"Wait, will we be killed?" he demanded grasping Gaspar's sleeve.
Gaspar held up his free hand to Ifrit's face.
"You already know too much," he said curtly, "Now release me."
Ifrit slowly loosened his grip and slunk off despondently.
Melchior started to follow him, but Balthazar's voice stopped her.
"It was his choice," he said.
Melchior slowly turned to face him.
"Are we merely prisoners of our own choices?" she asked.
"We have to take responsibility for our choices," said Gaspar adjusting his sleeve.
"Especially the ones we regret," said Balthazar more to himself then them.
"What choices do you regret most?" asked Mechior.
"Betrayal," replied Balthazar meeting her gaze.
"Duty," said Gaspar looking away.
"Lies," said Melchior with a sigh.
They regarded each other wordlessly. Eventually Odin ran up to them, out of breath.
"Magi," he said.
"Has Queen Lethe accepted King Hasdrubal's proposal?" inquired Balthazar.
Odin's glum expression told them all they needed to know.
"We leave for Tzen in the morning," he said as he turned to go.