Oh, child…
Explaining everything by explaining nothing… only I could have ended up with such a hopeless master.
"The heretic is done with his sniveling. Truly, a moment to rejoice" Rider's master grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "He has had his time to speak his final words, Rider. Finish it."
"You think it will be that easy" I narrowed my eyes.
"Caster, you are far from what I'd consider a man with a gifted tongue" Rider spoke, devoid of emotion. "I would not bother attempting another bluff. It is merely a futile effort."
That easy to read, humph. Considering who Rider was, wasn't much of a surprise. The one time actually knowing magic would be beneficial… He was correct though; I had no tricks to escape this. Not with the child, at least.
The child was is no state to do anything either. He hadn't moved in the slightest since he'd gone silent, and his gaze… It was lifeless. I could tell from a mere glance; he had shut the rest of the world out from his thoughts. The body was present, but the mind was gone. He had given up; embraced this as his end. All he could do now was wait for the final blow to come…
Which meant any chance at keeping him alive fell on me to succeed in… in interacting with others…
What a twisted sense of irony the sisters of fate have…
"You truly intend to kill the child, Rider?"
"He is far from an innocent child, Caster. Consequences for his actions are necessary."
"Yes, so finish the job already, Rider" his master interjected.
"The assassins are in place, master. There will be no interruptions, and they have nowhere to run.
"That is irrele-"
"There will be no interruptions" Rider repeated, not even looking over towards his master. "For a man such as Daedalus to expose himself so… I will hear what the infamous architect of Greece has to say."
"Rider, you-"
"Master."
"…"
"…"
"…Make it quick then! I have had enough of tonight!"
"…Continue, Caster" Rider signaled.
"Killing the child will not right the wrongs he has done, Rider. It will only serve to end another life."
"A life which has proven itself to be a plague upon the world wherever it goes."
"By what metrics do you derive such an outcome from?"
"The events of the war which have transpired speak for themselves, do they not?"
"You speak of the people who have died? It is a war, Rider. People die in every war. Surely you are no stranger to such an obvious fact."
"Soldiers dying, I can accept. Civilians are a separate matter."
"Ah, because civilians have never died in the wars you fought before, yes?"
"All the blood I have spilled was in the name of the lord. The blood your master has spilled was for naught but his own, twisted desires. Do not speak as if they equate."
"And do not speak to me about your so-called lord. I've seen gods; vengeance and spite incarnate is what they are."
"Your gods, perhaps, but not mine."
"Yet the child's blood is to be spilled in whose name? Your own, Rider? Here I thought it was only your god who could pass judgement upon man."
"My actions are in his name, as his will."
"Then how is your god not vengeful, if it is his will for the child to die?"
"…For someone in such a precarious situation, you are certainly reckless with your words."
"As you yourself stated, I do not have a gifted tongue."
"..."
"..."
"…What is your aim here, Caster?"
"When you look at the chi-… at my master, what do you see, Rider?"
Silence took over as Rider looked down at master.
"…I see enough to make my own decision. But I'm curious, Caster. What do you see in him?"
What do I see in him…? Yes, I suppose that was the real question, wasn't it? Why was I out here, putting myself at risk after all this time, for this child who has been nothing but an insufferable pain and a useless master besides?
Well, I suppose the answer was obvious from the moment I decided to chase after him.
"…I…" I struggled to find the right words I wanted to say, knowing full well that this was the true, deciding moment of this exchange. "…I see a child, Rider. A broken child who never got the chance to truly grow, rather than an evil child that decided not to grow."
"And what difference does that make?"
"It makes all the difference, Rider! Yes, the child has done terrible things. But there's potential in him, Rider! The potential to be a shining star in the history of our kind! What your master would consider as mindless sniveling is the last, desperate cry for help of a broken existence! All the lies he's told himself; all the walls he's built up in his mind to protect himself from the pain he feels, they're- they're the weakest they've ever been, and are the weakest they will ever be. He can change, Rider; can be saved! But it has to be now."
"…"
"…You can kill him, Rider, and we both know I can't stop that should you wish to. Not at this point. But he's not evil, Rider; not incapable of… of atonement."
"…"
"…"
"…You think that highly of your master? To be a shining star of humanity?"
"I… Hmm… I do, yes."
"…Well now, that is something to consider. To earn such praise from Daedalus himself…"
For the first time since this ordeal started, Rider spoke with the slightest trace of emotion laced into his voice. Though considering it sounded as though he was amused more than anything, I couldn't tell if it was a good thing, or a bad thing. Nor did it do anything to help the growing sense of ire building within me.
"Your plea has been heard, Caster, and I can tell that it is genuine."
My plea?! Was Rider blind, or delusional?! I wasn't pleading for anything! I'm the greatest mind to ever live! I don't plead! I-
"But" I asked pointedly, suppressing the bile I wanted to spit back at him.
"But he is a master in this war. Specifically, your master, and I doubt you'll ever put yourself in such a vulnerable position again should I let you go, with or without your master."
"If you think you can eliminate me by eliminating my master, you are sorely mistaken" I couldn't help but growl slightly, to vent part of my building frustrations.
"I am aware of that. This is why I have… a proposal."
"…Go on."
"Like you, I don't believe your master to be evil, but I will not have him continue to be a participant in this war and risk him contracting with another servant should they lose their master. Nor will I have you retreat back to the labyrinth and continue lingering; any other master could just as well form a contract with you then, and that leaves my master and I in a terrible position. However, I'm aware I can't achieve both, and so, I will offer you a deal."
"The terms of which are?"
"Whatever I desire them to be. In this case… I offer an exchange. Your master willing gave himself up, and thus his life is currently mine. However, I will let him go, and put into him the same faith you have, if you take his place."
"Rider, that is not a decision you get to make" Rider's master immediately turned on his servant. "I told you to finish off that heretic!"
"And I might have to. But if Caster is willing to take his master's place, and his master gives up his command spells, then he can go free. That is what I have decided."
"Rider… don't make me force-"
"Master, you are not the one in control here" I had to refrain from smirking as Rider raised his hand to silence his master without even bothering to face him. "For you to do what you wish to do right now, you would need no less than three command spells: one to force me to kill the child, a second to stop me from killing you, and a third to stop me from killing myself. As of this moment, you only have one. You cannot force this."
"You wouldn't dare."
"You have my word that I would. Though if you wish to test me, master, by all means. Give me your final order."
"You…" Rider's master was visibly seething, but even he maintained enough sense to back down.
"…Well, Caster? Do we have an agreement?"
"My life for his?"
"Your life and his command spells, for his."
"And how do I know you won't just immediately kill him afterwards?"
"You don't. All I can give you is my word."
"…That's not good enough."
"You're in no position to negotiate."
"Oh, it's not that I don't trust your word, Rider. It's that I don't trust your master. No, not just you. Neither you nor your master will seek to harm him in any way, shape or form after this."
"Again, you're in no position to negotiate anything."
"Perhaps not. But if I can't save my master, then I will at least take you down with him."
"Hmph, how spiteful."
"Did you forget who it is you're talking to, Rider?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…Come now, Rider. The fact you were willing to even make a deal in the first place is a clear indicator you want my master dead no more than I do. Surely this is not a big ask."
"…I suppose it isn't, no" Rider sighed, but for a brief moment I could see a smile flicker across his face. "Very well then, Caster, I'll accept these conditions. Do we have an agreement?"
"Done."
"Wait, what?!"
Looking down at the source of this long silent voice, I could see my master scrambling to try and sit upright, though for some reason he wasn't using his hands to push himself up.
"No, not done! C-Caster, you-… you can't agree to this!"
"Too late, master. I already have."
"But you-"
"Master, do you wish to die here, like this, of all places and ways?"
"N-No! Of course not! But this... this isn't right, Caster! These were my mistakes! My choices! It's not a price for you to pay! It's-"
"By the looks of things, you've already paid" I started pointedly at his hands. "No, you've paid enough. You made your choices, and I've made mine. Now prepare yourself."
"I-I-I... I can't! Not like this, Caster! I can't lose again! Not like this! Not you too! I... I-I can't fail you too!"
"Listen to me" I pulled him by the arm so he was standing directly in front of me, staring right at me. "And listen well, because I will only say this once. You. Did. Not. Fail. Me. The only way you can fail me is by throwing your life away here. Now stop crying and get yourself ready. You're my master; it's time for you to start acting like it."
"Caster... Y-You... consider me your master?"
"Oh, for the love of Zeus... Were you not listen- No... of course you weren't..."
"...S-Sorry..."
"And stop apologizing! …Look, master, you have two command spells left. You know what you must do, yes?"
"..."
"Do you understand what you must do?"
"...Yes..."
"Good. Then it's time for you to listen to me for once and do it" I couldn't help but let out a small sigh as I let go of the child.
"Al-Alright... I'll use them..."
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.
You say you'll use them, but you still look conflicted. What are you-
"C-Caster, by my second command spell, I order you: find your victory condition."
…I see... The freedom to choose, unto the very end. Oh, child...
"Caster, by my final command spell, I order you: achieve your victory, however you deem fit."
Thank you.
A/N
Almost done here; one more bit, and then we'll be back to the action, promise xD
