It had been a long time since Gankutsuou had felt anything like this. He held in his hand the power to destroy the little human freight below him, and he had the choice to save them as well.
Killing Edmond would free him from this time wasting life to nowhere, and yet…something tugged at him to hold back.
His palm was hot, beyond words, and the vastness of what it held was sumptuous.
A year since that exchange in the cabin, so much time since that moment of truth. If Cain had only listened to his new first mate, they would not be in this situation. Of course that was the sum of their relationship.
When Cain had insisted on rescuing the sinking pirate crew, Edmond had told him not to. The foolish captain had insisted, and the pirates attacked in the dead of night not twenty-four hours later. Had Edmond not expected the attack and prepared certain members of the crew, they would surely have lost the ship. And yet, when asked, Cain had insisted he did not regret the decision.
"I'd rather take a risk and help someone, only to be hurt, than live my life in fear, and fail to do any good." He'd said.
Gankutsuou didn't like that he couldn't forget that sentence. He soared up, and from a distance the mists of the universe looked like sands in a painstakingly constructed mosaic. How insignificant stars were. A breath would send them reeling.
Interplanetary travel often came with such perils – the instability of stars. That is why Edmond had recommended they stick to their sea voyages. Cain had insisted – they needed the shipping deal.
Laughter, hesitant, still with caution but real enough to see, and feel…Edmond was beginning to embrace who he was, and what was left of him after his life's unpredictable roads.
What am I?
Gankutsuou didn't like that the question nagged at his mind. He didn't like that the thought of Edmond perishing in inferno of nitrogen and helium caused him discomfort.
A twinkle in his vision reminded him of his time limit. Even now the wave of energy had begun. One touch, one blink of the shadow king's eyes would change the events unfolding, and leave him spent and diminished for years.
Edmond could change all he wanted, he could live any life, and be anything.
Gankutsuou frowned, the injustice of his destiny wrinkling his eight eyelids. Was that humanity? Choice…humanity, whatever it was, could be found in Edmond Dantes, but the demon could not see how. Perhaps death had only been lying, but…on the off chance….
For his own selfish reasons the demon reached out and silenced the super nova before it started.
