a/n: D'OH!! My college life has officially begun! For those who are already in college or are still on the way to its pressurizing domain, hear me out. Hehehe.. I know I (kinda) promised that I would update this fic at least two days after the last one. But sadly I can no longer compromise to that in the succeeding days to come. However, I will do my best to upload a new chapter as soon as I can. :D Anyways, here's chap 8! enjoy!
Disclaimer: FFVXIII is officially owned by SquareEnix!
"Oblivious Fate"
By: rorudesu-chan
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Chapter 8: In Between
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The gray bearded supervisor sat behind his desk as he industriously jotted down the Caelum Company's numerical stocks of the day. While scanning the stapled documents back and forth, his shaky left hand reached for the cup of espresso that rested warmly in one corner of the table. The head military officer sipped the coffee robustly, slowly feeling the caffeine kick out his drowsiness. As the bittersweet liquid flowed down his throat, a sudden chortle echoed within the walls of his office which made the man choke lightly.
"Good old Sir Arkenis, abiding faithfully to his duties to the kingdom." Beneath the shadows of the dimly lit workplace, a figure of a young man wearing rectangular framed glasses emerged, bringing along his sly disposition.
The Caelum official settled down the styrofoam cup back to its previous location before responding sternly. "You know better than to scare the lights off an old man, Salsus."
"Now, now, I'm not here to frighten you to death. I can do that when Halloween arrives."
"Get on with your report, Salsus." Arkenis tossed away the boy's jeer as his sinister, black irises darted towards Salsus who sat down on a chair in front of his desk.
"Nothing really significant to take a note on. Except, it would seem that Dumb and Dumber are plainly clueless why the Prince purposely did a school assignment in which the Tenebraean would typically be compelled to help out.
"You are talking about Celer and Lacertus, right?" Arkenis asked for assurance as Salsus nodded without a sound. "It doesn't matter whether His Majesty informs them of the importance of their temporary intimacy or not. What's important is that Prince Noctis fulfills his task and the boys do theirs as well when that time comes."
"About that," Salsus halted in his words as he gathered his thoughts properly. "Sir Arkenis, don't you think it's rather too much that the innocent people of Tenebrae have to be involved in the Crystal's survival?"
The gray bearded officer stared coldly upon his doubtful spy before he smirked darkly. "Nonsense! We've talked about this, Salsus. Their deaths are a necessity in order for the Crystal to live on!"
"Perhaps there is another way, one that doesn't involve literally draining the life source out of millions of people." Salsus gripped the handles of his chair as good judgment rapidly overwhelmed him.
"There is no other way!" Arkenis boomed his response as his palms curled into a fist upon his desk. "Unless you wish to follow the previous Caelum monarchs who imprudently gave up their lives for the Crystal, then so be it."
The hazel haired boy felt silence escape from his throat as his cynical eyes darted downwards.
"Listen to me, Salsus. Right after King Neleus died, I immediately became the overseer of the Caelum kingdom, its company and its last living heir. I have broken many rules throughout the years. One in particular is this colossal sacrifice that has never been done before. I have weighed the scales and enumerated the pros and cons. Sure there will be a bloodbath, but I assure you it is all worth it."
"Because of the Crystal," The intellectual boy recollected a fragment of his memories before he continued in an undertone. "My grandfather was able to overcome his sickness."
"All the more reason why you shouldn't let the Crystal die. Salsus, you mustn't permit doubts to interfere with your obligation."
"I understand."
The indifferent lad stood up from the chair but before he could turn around, Arkenis added a statement in an authoritative manner.
"Imagine what responsibility the young Prince has to bear on his own. To be honest, you are the only one who knows the cruel truth behind the Crystal, not even the Caelum heir himself. As his friend, don't you wish to ease his burden even just a little bit by simply fulfilling the task I have appointed you with?"
"I am doing this for him and for the sake of the Crystal as well." Salsus firmly responded as the gray haired officer beamed up the corners of his mouth.
"Tell me Sir Arkenis," The young lad paused and took in a breath before carrying on. "Besides Prince Noctis not knowing the brutal need for the Crystal's survival, is there anything else he doesn't know?"
The gray haired officer reacted startlingly with Salsus' question as his sinister black irises glanced towards the Caelum family portrait that hung right above the fireplace.
"The last time the Crystal had its depreciation was four years ago. The tragic diplomatic conference wherein around six sovereigns died from an assassination plot, took place four years ago as well." Arkenis cleared his throat before he went on with a trembling voice. "The Caelum King and his Queen never got the chance to attend the said conference, rather, they never chose to go in the first place. But Prince Noctis always believed the opposite, or so, I made him believe it."
Upon hearing the scalding truth, Salsus hung his head low as his eyes widened beneath his rectangular glasses. He felt beads of sweat coursing down his temples as he turned his head back up again towards Arkenis.
"Why refuse to tell him?"
The officer stared at his young pawn and gave his question a thought before answering. "For the good of it all, of course."
Trying hard to swallow the dismaying answer of his superior, Salsus diffidently nodded his head as Arkenis added a confirming statement.
"I trust that not even a word from this conversation of ours will reach the Prince."
"Not even a mutter." The officer felt an ounce of doubt lifted off his chest as he heard Salsus' resolute response about the lie in which he immediately vaporized from his mind.
As the military official's spy strode towards the door, his mind recoiled upon something he thought was quite trifling. He decided to blurt it anyways as to add to the day's report regarding the Prince and his target.
"That Tenebraean Ambassador,"
"What about her?" Arkenis reached for his fountain pen as he continued recording the company's stock of the day while half heartedly listening to what Salsus wanted to speak about.
"She seems to be very skilled in one field of swordsmanship. Truly a remarkable fighting ability, you might add…"
"Fighting, eh? That should come in handy once she finds out that her kingdom is under attack by our forces." Arkenis cackled forebodingly as Salsus yanked the doorknob open with one hand and left the aging officer back to his demanding work.
The door shut behind him gently and the young lad walked beneath the carpeted floors of the hallway. His mind began to ponder on what was truly right or wrong. Since the day that the Crystal was announced of its depreciation, Salsus felt the urge to help it out as payment for his beloved grandfather's healing. He thought of himself as someone who was compelled to take in any responsibility as long as it would do well towards the Crystal, no matter how unbearable it could get. But after a long time of doing his task, it was only now that he realized the dire consequences that this kingdom's plan would bear afterwards. Salsus was torn between his eternal gratitude for the healing of the man who single-handedly raised him and the lives of those innocent people which would be offered for the survival of the Crystal. At that moment, he knew he had to make a choice, one that could make him the apostate of the hero or the comrade of the adversary.
As Salsus turned his feet towards the corner, he reflexively halted in his tracks and greeted the person before him with a grin.
"Good evening Noct,"
"Sal?"
Noctis' indigo eyes flickered in curio as he openly wondered what his friend was doing within his household past ten in the evening.
"I'm quite surprised to see you here at this time of night."
"Grandfather wanted me to send his regards to a dear, old friend." Salsus covered his true purpose with a well planned excuse, seeing as it still wasn't the right time to reveal his double duty to the Prince.
"How thoughtful of his grandson. Will you be leaving soon?"
"As a matter of fact, I ought to. There's still the matter of the Botany project I have to comply with."
"See you tomorrow, then."
"Good night, Noct."
The Caelum Prince waggled his head in reply as he brushed past his intellectually driven companion. Salsus continued walking to the opposite of the corridor as his thoughts encircled another scenario. His friend, Noct, was to be the hero of this destiny that was shaped by the Crystal itself. Meanwhile, his superior, Arkenis, was to be the adversary of the said fate.
Only several minutes after the Caelum Company's overseer welcomed a guest into his office, another one arrived, asking his permission to enter the premises. Given the privilege to do so, the young man who was in his jeans and a chest hugging tee, came in and caught the attention of the officer who sat hunched behind his desk.
"Good evening, Prince Noctis! How may I be of service to you?" Arkenis stood up and his hands reached for the wine that rested upon the table's edge. He gladly poured the alcoholic drink into a pair of tall glasses and generously offered the other one to the Prince. But with a single wave of his hand, Noctis politely turned it down and immediately spoke to his advisor of his purpose.
"I'd like to check on the Crystal, Arkenis. Will you accompany to its underground abode?"
"At this hour?" The military officer raised his gray stranded eyebrows in inquiry. He was hoping to get some well-deserved rest after he signed the last page of a certain bank withdrawal, but it seems as though he was still a long way from a slumber in his water bed.
"Is there a problem?"
"Nothing of course, my dear Prince. Come, I shall escort you."
With a bitter smile, Arkenis settled down his wine glass on the desk. He ambled beside Noctis as the two of them walked out of the head military official's office to conform to the Caelum son's intention.
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a/n: woot! another short chapter! don't worry though, the next one might hopefully perk up your interests. this one's quite different from the previous chapters as it didn't really have much focus on NxS which I think gives the story a balance. for me, if you concentrate too much on the main characters and not on the other frames that help build who they actually are, it may change the whole plot in a way. but this is just from my POV, if you guys have any comments or suggestions tell me okay? Review!! Thank you! :D