I've been on my trip, and I got an offer! Yayz! Uni here I come! (Depending on what Oxford says...)
Here's an update for you! Sorry I've been taking a while updating lately... Oh well, there's a bt of action in this one.
Disclaimer: Still don't own etc.
Chapter six: Half-human
Lloyd lay in his cell, looking at the empty Key Crest miserably. They hadn't hurt him as badly as the last time, but he was still bruised all over. Still, he reckoned it was probably worth it. He'd found a lot out, for a relatively light punishment. A little about his mother, and a lot about Forcystus. He was still confused by Yggdrasill's message – all he'd said about Cruxis and angels – but he knew he could get to the bottom of that with a little probing. Forcystus always seemed quite wiling to answer his questions, anyway.
He's such a confusing Desian… Lloyd decided. He's my enemy, he's made that clear so many times… But still, sometimes he helps me out. And he's lenient and answers what I ask. And like that Desian said, he could have just chucked me in here and ordered me to be kept fed and… Forgotten about me… He sighed, resting his head on both hands. He was a person, he supposed. People were complicated. Forcystus just… More than most.
Lloyd sighed and turned over on to his side. He was sure the bruises would die down eventually. They'd been lenient enough, although they told him in no uncertain terms that next time he offended Lord Forcystus he would be in at least double the agony.
Forcystus is… Scared of something, he decided. Scared enough to keep a watch on the Ranch secret, scared enough to react slightly when I bring these things up even though I can't know about them… Lloyd frowned and started going over the things that had produced a reaction in Forcystus in his head. So… Yggdrasill, definitely. He hates the word inferior… He doesn't like his honour being insulted… The mention of Cruxis irritates him… And he doesn't like people threatening me. He shrugged at the last one. But then, this Lord Aurion asked me to be kept safe, so if I get too hurt I suppose he'll be the one to suffer… On a whim, he fished around in his pocket and produced the magic lens, looking pleased when he discovered that it wasn't broken. He held it up to the light, and was surprised when it opened. I thought it had to be pointed at a target before it reacted? Lloyd thought. He could see Forcystus through it, the words 'Iselia Ranch' still displayed at the bottom of the screen. Strangely, the blue light was almost completely gone, and the green bar wasn't as full as it could be. What's up with this thing? Lloyd wondered. He noted, with some amusement, that Forcystus was asleep.
"Mhnn… No…" Forcystus' voice sounded oddly hollow, as though it weren't actually there. Lloyd nearly dropped the Lens in shock. Forcystus had never mentioned that it had sound!
I guess the term 'Magic' is applied for a reason, he decided, feeling foolish. I wonder what's up with Forcystus, anyway?
"…Please…" He murmured, waving his arms as if to ward off some imaginary foe. "Hurts…" Lloyd frowned. Forcystus had been hurt? "Yes… Sir… Mmmnnn… Inferior…" He mumbled in a hushed whisper.
He's been called inferior? Lloyd wondered. Just what happened to him? Forcystus was tossing fitfully, and then he jerked awake.
"Gah!" He gasped, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "…That nightmare again…" Lloyd noticed with mild shock that Forcystus had a cut on his cheek. "…Am I being… Punished?" He looked up at what Lloyd presumed was the ceiling, but it was not visible in the lens. "For Lloyd? For hurting him?" He shook his head slowly. "Sybak… Tch. I hate Tethe'alla. I hate it. I hope I get the Sybak Ranch when we move if this Chosen succeeds…" Lloyd frowned. That sentence made absolutely no sense to him. Forcystus hated the moon? "…No use worrying about it. I'll have to give Lloyd this back in the morning…" He reached to the side and picked up Lloyd's Exsphere.
"Get off that," Lloyd growled angrily.
"Anna Irving…" Forcystus murmured, looking at the Exsphere with a frown. "Did Kvar succeed? …I hope for Lloyd's sake not. Ah, well." He put the Exsphere down, once more out of Lloyd's sight. "No use worrying…" He repeated, glancing up almost in the direction of sight of the magic lens with a frown. "Why can't I shake the feeling that I'm being watched?" Lloyd hastily lowered the lens, which closed itself.
Why did Forcystus have that cut? He wondered. If it's not there next time I see him, it means he's hiding something… But what? What could a Desian have to hide?
Forcystus came to get him the next day, his cheek suspiciously absent of any healing wound.
"Lloyd. Have you any lasting wounds?" He asked. Lloyd's eyes went to the cannon, which was back on his left arm.
"…No, Lord Forcystus," he replied. "Just a bruise or two." Forcystus nodded.
"Good," he responded. "Now, this may be foolish, but… I will let you have a little more exercise if you wish." Lloyd looked up hopefully.
"What, more training? Lord Forcystus," he asked. Forcystus smiled slightly at his tone.
"Yes, Lloyd. I am willing to forget yesterday's little… Incident… Purely because you showed a lot of initiative to get as far as you did. You're quite the resourceful human." Lloyd frowned, unable to work out if that was a compliment or an insult.
Is this him trying to atone, so he doesn't get any more nightmares? Lloyd wondered. And what happened to the cut? He's hiding… I know he is…
"Do you wish to train?" He asked. Lloyd nodded. He hadn't wanted to admit it, but he had learned a lot from Forcystus last time. Besides, it was boring being stuck in the same old cell all day. Forcystus made a slight noise and keyed in a passcode – Lloyd noticed that it had changed, probably to something he wouldn't be able to work out on his own. No matter, he had memorised where Forcystus' fingers had hit. He could recreate it if he had to. "Come," he told Lloyd as the door opened, and Lloyd quickly walked to his side. Forcystus gave him a once-over to check he was telling the truth about the lack of damage, then nodded and walked on, Lloyd hurrying to keep up.
They never got to the training centre.
"My Lord! It's the prisoners, sir, they're rioting!" A Desian came up to him. "We can't stop them sir, not without killing some of them…" Forcystus stood there for a second, looking at Lloyd.
"…Let me deal with them," he told the Desian, who saluted and nodded. "Lloyd, come with me." Lloyd glanced from the Desian to Forcystus nervously, but followed all the same. He hadn't much choice.
"Milord, I would advise caution," a Sorcerer told Forcystus as they approached the prisons.
"Tch. A few humans won't hurt me," he replied. "Lloyd, I want silence from you, understood?"
"Yes, Lord Forcystus," Lloyd murmured. He was frightened, now, of what Forcystus might do. He had seen him with… Harriet, how he had ordered her beaten for one small thing. A full-scale rebellion…?
They walked in, and it was utter chaos.
"Lord Forcystus!" One Desian said. "We're so sorry to trouble you, sir, but…" Forcystus shook his head.
"Silence!" He called, waiting a few seconds. Nothing happened, and Forcystus made an irritated noise and started gathering mana around him. "I will have SILENCE!" Wind blade hit the roof with a terrible clatter, and silence fell as all the people in the room, half-elf and human alike, turned to look at the Cardinal. "That took far too long," he spat. "Now then. Inferior beings!" He took a step forwards, and they shrank back as one. Lloyd took an uncertain step forwards too, staying close to Forcystus. "This sort of behaviour is not tolerated. It violates so many Ranch rules I do not even want to start counting. Bring me the instigator of this incident. NOW!" The humans took another step backwards, but no-one came forth. Forcystus scanned the rows of humans. "No-one?" He remarked. "Are you pathetic inferiors trying to tell me this just… Started on its own? There is always kindling. Who started this?" a hushed silence fell over the room. No-one dared even speak, not even the Desians. Forcystus made an irritated noise and grabbed the nearest available human – a small boy, no more than 8 years old. He held the cannon to the terrified child's head. "Now, you have five seconds to bring me the head of this rebellion, or the kid dies. Understood?" There was a terrified ripple across the humans. "Four. Three…"
"It was me." Harriet, the woman from before, stepped forward. Forcystus lowered the cannon and pushed the child away from him like he was diseased, and the boy fell to the floor, sobbing.
"H045. I might have known," Forcystus murmured. Harriet met his gaze defiantly.
"You Desians think you're so tough," she spat. "Took a lot of you to quell an uprising this small, didn' it?" A Desian hit her.
"You will use a respectful tone when talking to Lord Forcystus!" He reprimanded. Forcystus laughed.
"Let her talk how she likes, she won't get another opportunity," he replied. Lloyd looked up at him sharply. Was he really intending to…?
"Looks like your puppy's not so well trained," she sneered, clearly not afraid of death. Maybe in a Ranch, it was a form of escape…
"I-I am not a dog!" Lloyd protested, but Forcystus put one hand on his shoulder to quieten him.
"Unnecessary," he murmured. "H045, this is the sixth breach of Ranch rules within a week, and as such I am going to have to take measures. Due to the severity of the crime at hand, I cannot be lenient… Even if I wanted to. Guards, take her out into the courtyard and have her shot." Lloyd gasped, but Forcystus' grip tightened on his shoulder. Harriet sneered at Forcystus as she was led away. "And as for the rest of you!" Forcystus turned to the rest of the cowering prisoners. "If anything of this sort happens again, I will have you all line up, and I will have every fourth person shot without exception, whether they were involved in the incident or not. Am I understood?" There was a murmur of sound across the prisoners. "I said, am I understood?"
"Yes, Lord Forcystus," the prisoners chorused almost as one. Forcystus' grip on Lloyd's shoulder was so tight it was starting to become painful for the poor boy.
"Good. If this happens again, you will be sorry," he told them all with finality. "Lloyd, come." Lloyd went red with embarrassment, thinking of what Harriet and the other Desians had said, but with Forcystus in such a mood… He followed willingly. Outside in the courtyard, the sound of an earth spell being cast could be heard.
"…You had her killed," Lloyd murmured, sounding shocked. Forcystus sighed.
"She wanted death, Lloyd," he replied. Lloyd frowned.
"Don't use some excuse on me! You had her executed!" He cried. Forcystus hit him, suddenly and hard, and he fell to the floor.
"Don't you dare speak in that tone to me," he growled. "I am the leader of this Ranch; I am the absolute authority here! Trust me, Lloyd, she wanted death. She asked me to have her killed, once, and I refused, so she has stirred up trouble ever since. It's either that or wait for the Exsphere to take you. You will not talk back to me, and you will use my title!"
"If you're so absolute, who cut your cheek?" Lloyd muttered, angry. Forcystus' hand flew to the place where the injury had been, and he glared.
"…No-one cut my cheek," he murmured, cursing himself for his lapse as he lowered his hand. "I am a Cardinal. I am not hurt by other people." Lloyd glowered at him.
"I saw. You were," he insisted. "You weren't such an authority in your sleep."
"Lloyd Irving. Stand up." Forcystus hissed, and Lloyd realised too late that he had crossed an uncrossable line. He also doubted very highly that he could get out of it with Forcystus in such a mood. He stood.
"Y-yes, Lord Forcystus?" He murmured. Forcystus smacked him again, with such force it sent him reeling.
"You dare, human!" He spat, stalking over to where Lloyd had staggered to and hitting him, hard. Lloyd cried out and raised his hands to try and protect his face. "You dare insult me in MY RANCH!" He yelled, hitting Lloyd again, the boy's hands offering little protection from the blow. "You dare speak of things you know nothing about. Nothing!"
"Please… Lord Forcystus… I-I'm sorry… Please…" Lloyd begged weakly. Without his Exsphere… blood was running down the side of his head from the force of Forcystus' last blow.
"Think before you speak!" Forcystus yelled. "You are so stupid!" He hit Lloyd across the left arm with his cannon, and Lloyd cried out and staggered into the wall. "You dare…" Forcystus shook his head, calming down slightly. "…You have no idea." He walked over to Lloyd, who cowered away from him. "Lloyd. Stand." Fearfully, Lloyd clambered to his feet, shying away. "…Lloyd. I lost my temper," he murmured. "Forgive me. I should not have done that. Especially since you have not got your Exsphere." Lloyd backed away slightly. "…Did I hurt you badly?" He asked. Lloyd shook his head stubbornly.
"I-I'll be fine, Lord… Forcystus…" He murmured, really regretting what he had said. He hadn't thought about it, just as Forcystus had got too angry.
"…Be careful what you say," the Desian murmured. "How did you know, Lloyd? You could never have got out of your cell… Wait…" Lloyd took a step back, afraid Forcystus was going to take the Lens away. He needed that. Strangely, however, the Cardinal simply laughed. "The Lens. Am I right?" Lloyd nodded slowly. "No wonder… Lloyd. You must promise me you will not use it when I am not there again, not unless I give you permission. Understood? Else I will have to confiscate it." Lloyd nodded. "I expect you were angry with me over that woman's death…"
"Harriet. You said her name was Harriet… Lord Forcystus," Lloyd cut in quietly. Forcystus nodded slowly.
"Indeed. Harriet Baron," Forcystus murmured. "She was from Asgard, I believe. Transferred from that Ranch to mine. A bad idea, she was never the sort to be suited to the work here. I did try to have her transferred back, but nothing came of it." Lloyd looked at him. He knew all that about one prisoner at his Ranch? Did he really care? She would have died in the end anyway… "I gave her mercy. I know you did not like it, nor what she said to you…"
"She called me a dog! Your… Your puppy! I am no Desian's dog! …Lord Forcystus…" Lloyd complained. Forcystus laughed.
"I am sorry if it appears that way. Come, Lloyd. I shall take you back to your cell and heal the wounds I… Inflicted." Lloyd winced. "And no, Lloyd, you are no dog, despite what people may say. She most likely though you were a Desian in training, for no prisoner knows all that much about the system here at the Ranch, and humans cannot tell mana." Lloyd flinched away as Forcystus reached out towards him, and the Desian sighed.
"You will have to touch me sometime, Lloyd; else you will never get through the security fields. Come on."
In the end Lloyd did allow Forcystus to lead him through the security fields, and when they reached his cell Forcystus told him that he was under no circumstances to watch him type in the passcode. Lloyd looked away. It didn't matter, he knew it anyway.
"In. Go on," Forcystus told him after a few seconds, and Lloyd walked in. He didn't even want to disobey; the thought of Forcystus doing what he had ordered his guards to do was chilling. He suspected that Forcystus could hit a lot stronger than his guards. He'd just given a frightening enough demonstration. Forcystus put one hand on Lloyd's shoulder and guided him into a sitting position, since he seemed unwilling to do anything himself. He frowned when he noticed the blood. "Healing wind," he murmured, magic gathering around him and spreading over Lloyd, who made a grateful noise. Healing wind had just replaced First aid as his favourite magic. Forcystus made an unhappy noise and wiped the trail of blood away from Lloyd's forehead with the back of his hand, and Lloyd recoiled slightly. Forcystus looked at him. "You need to be careful with your words," he cautioned. "I was angrier than usual there, I will admit, but still… You insulted me more than you probably thought you did."
"I don't get it… Lord Forcystus," Lloyd murmured. "It was just a cut…" Forcystus sighed and shook his head.
"You didn't seem to think that a few minutes ago, and it is not the cut that matters to me, it is more who inflicted it…" He looked away slightly. "I am a Grand Cardinal, Lloyd, I have-"
"An appearance to keep up, I know… Lord Forcystus," Lloyd finished for him with a grin. Forcystus smiled slightly.
"I know you're up to something, Lloyd Irving," he accused. "I can tell. You've been far too well-behaved lately. What do you want?"
"I'd quite like a chip so the guards don't try and push me into the lights," Lloyd replied innocently. Forcystus shook his head.
"No, Lloyd. I will have a talk with the guards about that. But if I give you a chip I don't see what would be keeping you in any longer. And the whole point of a prisoner is that they stay in." He smiled at Lloyd. "You are an unusually innovative human, and I don't doubt for a second that you could get out of the main gate if you wanted to." Lloyd's face fell.
"…Please?" He asked. "Lord Forcystus?" Forcystus laughed.
"No, Lloyd, and that's final," he replied. "You can get along just fine without a chip. If you have the sense to stay away from the security fields…" Lloyd sighed. It had been worth a try. Forcystus was too clever for his own good… Which was why he needed the blackmail.
"Who cut your cheek, Lord Forcystus?" He asked. "You never said." Forcystus looked at him carefully.
"That, Lloyd… Is classified information," he replied. "Now do me a favour and stay in here for once. I don't know how you manage to get all of the passcodes I try for this cell, but if I find you out of the cell again I will be extremely displeased. Understood?" Lloyd nodded. So he could get out of the cell, he just had to be back in it before Forcystus noticed.
"So it was the person in the message, then?" Lloyd asked, jumping to conclusions. Forcystus turned, looking as though he was going to hit him again, but then he shook his head and turned away.
"Don't jump to conclusions, Lloyd," he told him. Lloyd frowned.
"So it was this Yggdrasill guy, then?" He asked, wondering what the creepy man was doing in the Ranch. Unless it was that investigating thing he'd mentioned…
"Do not speak ill of Lord Yggdrasill!" Forcystus reprimanded, and Lloyd recoiled slightly. "You will speak of him with his proper title, and you will not insinuate that his judgement is flawed, do you understand me?" Lloyd looked at Forcystus, and the fear on his face was not masked very well by his anger.
"…Yes, Lord Forcystus," he murmured. "Are you scared of him, Lord Forcystus?" Forcystus twitched slightly.
"Lord Yggdrasill's will is absolute," he replied. "He is our leader, and he will lead the half-elves into a new age. One where we are not persecuted wherever we turn. One where we can live in peace!" He turned away from Lloyd and stood up. "And, most likely, one where there are no humans. Hate me if you will, Lloyd. I am a Desian. Don't I deserve your hatred?" Lloyd looked confused. Where had that come from?
"…I hate what you do," he replied. "…Lord Forcystus. I hate that you're keeping me locked up. I hate what your… Leader plans. But I…" He hesitated. "…I don't hate you, I guess." Forcystus frowned, resting his hand on the wall of the cell.
"Why?" He asked. Lloyd thought about it.
"Well… Lord Forcystus." Forcystus sighed at that. "You've been… Kind to me, I guess. For a Desian. I mean, you did say any other Cardinal would have had me… Killed. And you didn't just stick me in the cell and forget about me. You've got a non-aggression treaty with Iselia, which is unique, right?" Forcystus nodded wearily. "And… You're not as cold as the rest of them. I guess you try to be, but I can tell." Forcystus hit the side of the cell unexpectedly, making Lloyd wince back. Had he said the wrong thing?
"Not as cold…" He murmured. "You don't hate me… Because… I'm half-human, as well as half-elf." He shook his head. "Because I show that. Urgh, Lord Yggdrasill was right. I will be the cause of my own demise. I'm far too compassionate." He looked at Lloyd. "…I will talk with the guards about playing tag with the security lights. I know that what you witnessed today has affected you, but think. At least I let you know the truth, see the truth. And isn't that better than not knowing?" He turned and let, the door shutting behind him with finality.
Because he's half-human, too? Lloyd wondered. Yggdrasill? So… I was right. He has had another visit from that creepy half-elf…
A/N: Beware the spandex-wearing maniac! Ahahaha! R&R please ^^