Chapter 82: Promise
Asch stood alone in the deserted hallway, staring at those towering marble doors for what seemed like an eternity. It might have been longer; he didn't know. Time was a concept beyond his understanding, too complex and irrelevant for his stunned mind to process. Only the echo of the doors shutting repeated over and over in his mind. Luke's voice, his promise... his quiet apology as Asch's world spiralled out of control... it all combined itself into a single existence that he couldn't, no, that Asch refused to grasp. So instead he stood there in disbelief as seconds like hours fell from time which he no longer recognized.
The soft chime of metal striking marble brought Asch back to reality. Searching the ground, a golden glimmer stood out against the white floor as the source. It was a locket... Picking it up and flipping it over he saw his younger self staring back at him. For a brief moment his eyes lost themselves in the picture, tracing each line until they ran off the edge, severing the connection with the one who had shared that moment with him. Cutting him from...
Luke.
As soon as the first piece of reality slipped through, everything followed suit and Asch found himself under siege as every thought and feeling he could possibly imagine flooded him at once. The fight, the door, the words, the promise- He could already see it: Luke, the soldiers, swords clashing, metal ringing, the attacks, the chaos- Luke beaten and bloody and alone without anyone to hold him or protect him. Luke lying in a pool of his own life, swords still scattered about, some around him, others within him. Abandoned and forsaken in an empty hall with nothing but death to accompany him as he waited for the end- No! Asch refused to allow it! He wouldn't- He wouldn't let this happen! This wasn't how things were going to be!
The Sword and Jewel of Lorelei clattered in unison as they were discarded; with nothing but Luke's locket clutched in his fist, Asch frantically struck the marble doors. The fire that raced up his arms did little to convince him of the futility of his gesture. He began to pound harder, with little reward save for the intensifying pain. It was supposed to be him in there! This was his gamble, his sacrifice, not Luke's! He wouldn't let Luke take his place!
"Damn it all, open!" Asch hollered at the marble barrier. "Let me in! He's not supposed to be in there! Open!"
'Now you're being a hypocrite,' Luke's voice rang playfully across their connection. 'You seemed perfectly fine leaving me in your position right now.'
'Luke this isn't... this isn't a game.' Whatever energy Asch had conjured dissipated leaving the redhead to slide down to his knees in defeat, his raw hands giving the door one final blow. 'What the hell do you think you're doing?'
'Good,' Luke stated. 'I was wondering when you were going to stop that. You'll need your strength against Master Van. Isn't that what you told me?'
'Don't change the subject!' Asch protested. 'It wasn't your place to do that! It wasn't your choice to make! It was mine! Now you're stuck and you don't even have a weapon!'
'There are plenty of swords lying around here; I'll just take one of them. Besides, I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve,' Luke replied, ignoring Asch's accusations. Across their connection, Asch stole a glimpse through Luke's eyes. The swarm of Oracle Knights had cleared an opening in the rubble. Now they were making quick work of widening the gap so they could pass. There were easily two or three squadrons of them... and only one of Luke. Asch felt his heart sink even further. This was his worst nightmare coming true before his eyes. Luke couldn't do it... not alone.
No, that was a lie and Asch knew it. If anything, Luke probably stood more of a chance in there than he would have. Asch just couldn't bring himself to accept it. Accept that Luke had grown stronger than he had, accept that Luke didn't need Asch to look out for him anymore... To Asch, Luke was still that little boy, that poor defenceless replica that needed to be protected. For eight years Asch had been determined to protect Luke. Whether it be from the dangers of the world or the darkness of the human heart, he wanted to shield Luke from everything. He was Luke's big brother; if it was Luke's role to light up his world, then he would protect that light with everything he had! It was too instinctive, too much a part of who he had become. Luke was strong, he had grown up and was able to make his own choices, and Asch knew that; but it would always be his job to look out for Luke and to stand by his side, no matter what those choices were.
'Why...' Asch demanded, choking out the words in defeat. His fists tightened until the frustration turned them white. 'Why couldn't you let me do this? Why did you take my place?'
'All my life, you've always been the one to watch out for me. Even when I didn't know it, you were protecting me and taking care of me. This time, it's my turn to protect you.'
'No, I won't do it. I'm not letting this happen!'
'You promised.'
'I never agreed to this!'
'You promised me you would do whatever it took to win. No matter what!'
Asch froze, the words whispering across his ears.
Promise that no matter what you do, no matter what happens, you'll do whatever it takes to win.
No matter what.
'No! That's not what I meant! That's not what I agreed to! I won't just leave-'
'You promised!' Luke cut him off sharply, letting the silence reinforce that he would not let him back down. Every second unloaded its weight onto Asch until the older sibling fought to catch his breath. No matter how hard he protested, no matter how much he struggled... it was no different than his pounding on the marble doors: he could fight and fight and fight but nothing was going to change the situation they were in. Asch fought the inevitability with every fibre of his being, but the ice cold clutch on his throat only held him tighter. No! He wasn't going to allow this to-
Asch's thought came to a screeching halt, a single pained laugh escaping his lungs. He was so completely hopeless! How many times had he told himself that he wouldn't go back to the person he had once been? How many times had he sworn he would stand on his own two feet and walk forward? Luke had chosen to stay behind in that accursed room, for the same reasons Asch himself wanted to do the same. He knew all too well the desire to protect the people he cared for, the willingness to do anything so long as they would be safe... so much so that it had made Luke's decision impossible to accept. He was so hard-wired, so focused on protecting Luke that he hadn't realized somewhere along the way, Luke had wanted to protect him as well; that all his feelings, all his hopes and dreams for his sibling were being reciprocated.
Asch had feared Luke growing up more than anything; had feared the day he wouldn't be needed anymore. The day Luke could stand on his own, he'd walk ahead, leaving Asch behind in a past he would never escape; but Asch had been wrong. Now it was time for him to grow too, it was time for Asch to show Luke he was just as strong... that he could move forward on his own too, and if he spent his whole life trying, he would catch up to Luke who stood dazzling in the sun.
Things were not going to end like this; Asch would die before he let that happen. He would finish his fight, and he would be back for his little brother. Nothing, not Lorelei and certainly not Van, was going to stop him.
So no matter how his heart screamed in desperation, he would keep moving forward, and he believed... no, he knew that their paths would cross again.
'A promise goes both ways,' Asch finally answered, pulling himself to his feet. 'We promised we would meet again. Hold up your end of that promise, and I'll keep mine.'
'When have I ever broken a promise to you?' Luke asked, his tone regaining its playful edge. 'I'll be fine, so get the hell out of here and go find the others.'
Asch began to reply but found their connection closed. He vaguely sensed a burst of energy and Asch deduced that the enemy had finally broken through. Luke's battle had begun. With a deep breath, Asch turned his back on the marble doors and ripped his heart from where it still clung desperately to the thought of bursting in and rescuing his little brother. Luke was right, he had promised. This was Luke's battle, not his.
Still... turning away from that door was the hardest thing Asch had ever done.
The Sword and Jewel still sat on the floor where Asch had dropped them and the young monarch quietly retrieved the set. He spent a moment scrutinizing the Jewel; it was the first time he'd the chance to handle it. It was pretty, he'd give it that; the cloudy wisps inside swirled all the more intensely when he picked it up and Asch wondered if it could read his state of mind. That might be the case, but the longer he looked at the Jewel, the more he realized it would not divulge any of its secrets so easily. It was clear where the Jewel should lay in the Sword, and it was just as clear that there was no way such a large stone would fit, much less remain in the Sword's hilt. It was a problem Asch wasn't expecting to have to solve.
For the time being, Asch slipped the Jewel into his pack along with the few healing supplies he carried with him. He opened his palm to drop Luke's locket in alongside it, but hesitated. Instead he reached into his own pocket and pulled out a matching locket. With a quick gesture, he tied the pair around his neck, reuniting the set that hadn't been together in years.
He would keep his promise to Luke, no matter what it took... no matter who or what he had to destroy to get there; he wasn't going to fail his little brother. He'd done enough of that over the years; failed when he should have stepped up, disappeared when he was needed most, but not this time. He would win... and he would meet Luke again.
No matter what.
Still, he couldn't shake the image of Luke taking on all those soldiers alone... or the sense of foreboding curdling the pit of his stomach.
No matter what... we'll meet again.
You promised.
Guy looked over his shoulder at the endless walkway that stretched out behind them. It had taken long enough to find this route. By all right and purposes he should be glad they'd finally found a way to reach the island's interior, but each step he took was another stab of betrayal. Every step was one step further away from wherever Luke and Asch were, one step away from where they might be desperately trying to survive Van's onslaught, one step away from where Guy might be needed most, and Guy was loathing every second of it.
"Why aren't we still looking for Luke and Asch?" Guy demanded. "They could be in trouble for all we know!"
"Those two remain perpetually in trouble," Jade commented. "The day they are not shall be cause for concern." The Colonel's humour was not appreciated by the blond, evident by his darkening scowl.
"Guy, we've been over this!" Anise answered in desperation, surprised the Colonel's patience was still intact enough to joke about it. She was ready to knock Guy right off the damn bridge at this rate. "It would take us weeks to search the entire place!"
"From what we've seen thus far, Eldrant's infrastructure is rather extensive. 'Weeks' is a generous estimate and regardless of the precise timeframe, it is time that we can no longer afford to spend," Jade added, conspicuously adjusting his glasses. "The boys knew in which direction we were headed, and Asch, at least, has enough of a head on his shoulders to go in the same direction if-"
"If they're still alive," Guy finished bitterly. "What are we supposed to do if we don't find them? How do we fix all this without them, or without the Key of Lorelei for that matter?"
"Oh for crying out loud!" Anise snapped. "Would you stop that? Can't you see we're all worried sick too?"
It only took a quick glance at his friends for Guy to realize how true Anise's statement was. Neither Natalia nor Tear had said a word in hours and though both were putting up a strong front, the concern shone in their eyes. His outburst may not have broken their silence, but Guy could see them both shift uncomfortably at his words. Natalia grasped a handkerchief so tightly in her hands Guy was surprised the small piece of fabric was still intact.
"None of us like it, but what else do you want us to do?" Anise continued. "We can't spend all our time searching an area twice the size of Baticul; by then Van will have half the continent devoured! Even if we can't free Lorelei without Luke and Asch, we need to at least put a stop to the fomicry facilities."
"You're right," Guy answered. "I'm sorry; I know those two can take care of themselves... I just can't help but worry about them."
"We know," Natalia managed, temporarily taming the uncertainty in her voice. "But it is in times like these that we need to believe in them more than ever. I'm certain they will pull through and will meet up with us."
"We'll cross paths soon," Tear said, though she lacked her usual confidence. She was trying earnestly to believe in the words that she spoke. "There aren't many paths leading to the interior; I'm sure they'll be right behind us in no time."
"Precisely," Natalia agreed, placing a hand on the melodist's shoulder. Tear smiled gratefully. "I'm certain this isn't the only path to the interior either, there's a good chance we may meet up with them as we approach our goal."
Guy couldn't bring himself to look either of the girls in the eye, instead walking along with his gaze fixed on the ground. Anise was right: everyone was worried... then he had to go open his big mouth and make everything worse. Of course Luke and Asch would be okay... they always were; no matter what kind of crazy trouble they got into, they always managed to get out of it somehow. He didn't mean to put everyone even more on edge; he just couldn't stand the tension!
Watching the ground turned out to be, if possible, even more unsettling than facing the girls. The whole of Eldrant seemed to open up below the narrow bridge they walked. The heights were dizzying, even for the blond who'd spent most of his life in Baticul. From here it was easy to see why Jade had called off the search for the boys when they'd come across this bridge. There were easily several dozen stories below, and the island wasn't exactly a small place. All Guy knew was that Luke and Asch had disappeared somewhere below them; even if by some stroke of luck he found the room the pair had been dumped in, the chances that the two would still be there were slim. Jade was right; Asch and Luke knew the interior was their goal, that's where they would try to reach. They knew better than to stay put and turn themselves into one big target. The Sword and Jewel they carried did that well enough as it was. Still... it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Guy finally had to look up before his head started spinning and when he did he found Natalia glancing back at him. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, offering an apologetic smile. She nodded, understanding that he'd meant no harm and sharing in his concern for the boys. It was bad enough to think that they might lose the boys regardless of the current circumstances, to worry about them being killed was more than either cared to handle. Surely everyone would be heading home together once all was said and done... wouldn't they?
Words remained conspicuously absent for the remainder of the bridge, and even afterward, Guy merely muttered what was needed to point them in the proper direction. In any other instance Jade would have been fascinated by the study of his companions' character, but he found he simply wasn't interested; far too many pressing matters demanded his attention.
While Guy's small outburst was rather childish, he did raise one very valid point: how were they to solve the matter at hand without the Sword and Jewel? Asch had been quite correct in Chesedonia; Jade hadn't been accounting for the possibility of the boys' absence. In all the scenarios he'd envisioned, they were always present. A foolish oversight really; what in Auldrant had possessed him these past few months the Colonel would never know. If faith was the foolish notion he'd always deemed it to be, then he was the biggest fool of them all.
Just what would they do if they never found the twins? Or worse yet; if Dorian General Grants found them first?
It wasn't long before the endless bridges gave way to clusters of buildings, their white marble heights climbing to the sky and dwarfing the princess who walked in their shadows. The cobblestone streets were, if possible even narrower than the paths they'd been previously walking and even Guy was struggling to keep his bearings through the stone labyrinth. Perhaps it was pointless to say everyone was on edge; they'd been apprehensive since losing Luke and Asch, but that anxiety continued to increase the longer they wandered between buildings. None of them fancied encountering an enemy here.
It was the faintest whisper of movement between two buildings ahead that caught her eye; a splotch of colour against the endless white. Natalia froze in her steps, her first instinct placing her hand on her bow and another on the feather of an arrow. Her bowstring taut, she waited a moment, patiently waiting for the enemy to reveal themselves. Her swift motion had caught the attention of her companions, who all watched the adjacent street as carefully as she. The alley gave Natalia a narrow-view of the road her target walked, but it also hid her and her companions from sight. If nothing else, she'd the element of surprise. The sound of footsteps erupted in the silence and Natalia flew around, but something made her hesitate. Then a glimpse of red dropped her every defence.
"Asch!" Natalia called out, eagerly running forward with her companions in tow.
"Natalia!" The redhead turned at the sound of Natalia's voice, surprise giving way to relief; clearly he hadn't dared hope to cross paths with them so soon. Or perhaps he'd feared it, Jade pondered, watching the redhead try to hide a multitude of emotions behind his forced smile. It didn't take a genius to figure out what secrets hid behind such a hesitant expression; no one failed to notice that he was alone.
"Where's Luke?" Guy asked, barely greeting Asch, his blue eyes already scanning the area in search of a matching head of red hair. Coming up short, he returned his attention to Asch, only to have him avert his gaze. Guy's heart instantly sank.
"Asch..." Guy spoke hesitantly. "Where's Luke?"
"Luke's... not here," Asch managed.
"What do you mean he's not here?" The blond demanded. "What happened to him? The two of you disappeared together! Where is he now?"
"He stayed behind to hold off Van's forces so the rest of us could go on ahead."
"What?" Tear's voice came out barely louder than a whisper as the air fled her lungs. The melodist felt her heart seize; Luke alone... taking on her brother's army... No, it just wasn't possible. This was another one of their jokes, Luke would be turning the corner in just a second wearing that big grin of his and they'd all laugh about it...
"You idiot!" Guy yelled, snapping Tear from her thoughts. "How could you let him do that?"
"You think this is what I wanted?" Asch retaliated with such intensity the blond stepped backwards. "Do you think for a second that I let him stay behind?"
Asch's body shook, fighting to maintain control over the storm of emotions that had just erupted. His fists were whiter than the marble wall he pounded them against. The sound echoed in the empty street but did little to ease the redhead's overwhelming frustration.
"What happened?" Tear asked, her voice still quiet, fearing the answer to the question she posed.
"Luke and I were trapped in a room full of Oracle Knights," Asch began. "We got the door open and I told him to go on ahead... but that idiot forced me out instead. I was the one who was supposed to stay behind, not him!" Asch pounded the marble wall with his fist again.
"That's so like him," Anise said breaking the silence. "He's always worrying about everyone but himself."
"That's true," Tear agreed, trying to smile in spite of her overwhelming concern.
"Try not to worry for him too much," Natalia offered gently. "He's grown much stronger than he was when we began all this."
"Natalia's right," Guy spoke up, trying to make up for his thoughtless outbursts before. "He can definitely hold his own, and without a doubt he will come back to us."
"Yes," Tear stated, standing up straight and giving Natalia a grateful smile. Her friends were right; she had to believe in his strength, and that he would come back to her. Because if she didn't believe in him, who would?
"We ought to keep moving," Jade pointed out. "Lest the soldiers catch up with us and Luke's efforts be in vain."
"Let's go," Asch agreed, his tone betraying that he'd yet to completely regain command of his emotions.
Asch started forward, not knowing where he was headed, or even if the others were following. He just put one foot in front of the other, not daring to look over his shoulder. The others would follow; he knew they would and he trusted that they'd stop him if he were headed in the wrong direction. He just... he couldn't look back. To look back was to give in, and if he did every shred of willpower he'd mustered would shatter and he would find himself back at that cursed room, frantically trying to find a way in. He refused to insult Luke that way, and so he just continued to walk forward. One step at a time, just as he'd once told Luke... just do what you can do. One step... then another, it was his turn to move forward, his turn to grow; it was his turn to show Luke that he too could stand on his own two feet.
The echo of footsteps told Asch his companions weren't far, yet they all continued in silence, which was just as well. Any conversation would just be a reminder of their feeble attempts to avert their thoughts from Luke's decision. It was pointless; Luke was such a crucial part of who they all were that his absence reverberated within them, resounding in a hole that just couldn't be filled, least of all by petty conversation. To ignore it was impossible; to pretend all was well felt like a kick in the chest. Each empty building they passed was a reminder; each vacant street spoke of the battle Luke was waging alone... Asch quickened his pace, the rhythm of footsteps accelerated. He had his own battle to face... and the sooner he finished, the sooner he would be back for his little brother.
Jade sighed and adjusted his glasses. It wasn't that he minded the quickened pace that Asch adopted. As a matter of fact, their smooth progression was more than welcome at this point. He supposed they had their youngest comrade to thank for that. It certainly explained the lack of guards about, though it remained a mystery as to why no alarm had been raised. Luke must be drawing their forces somehow, and if that were the case than the best way to return the favour would be to find Van as quickly as possible.
The change in scenery was welcome and from the endless sea of white marble emerged an open field of green. The vegetation that had been completely absent until this point now painted the fields and roads a myriad of colours, leaving Jade to ponder the sudden change. The island's unusually barren outskirts suddenly made a great deal more sense.
"We're heading the right way," Jade affirmed out loud.
"What makes you say that?" Anise asked.
"The plants can't be replicated as quickly as the island's infrastructure," the Colonel replied. "The replication of living things is more complex and time consuming than that of inanimate ones. Considering both would have a similar point of origin, we can safely assume that we are approaching the fomicry facilities."
"They must be at the center of the island," Guy replied, surveying his surroundings. The grass broke up the ruins of buildings and statues that were scattered about, making them easier to identify. "Things here look a lot more familiar, we can't be too far now."
"Good news, wouldn't you say so, Asch?" Jade inquired slyly. As expected, he got no response from the redhead who had long since tuned out the world around him.
"Really now," Jade continued, placing a hand on the young monarch's shoulder. A satisfied grin crossed his face when Asch tensed, the contact startling him.
"What do you want, old man?" Asch growled, angry at being caught off guard.
"How is Luke?"
"He's holding his own for-" Asch bit his lip and glowered that he'd fallen for the Colonel's trap. Of all the dirty... Asch grumbled inaudibly, trudging forward in attempts to escape the Colonel that easily matched his pace. It wasn't long before they'd gained some distance from the others.
"I know you're concerned for the wellbeing of your sibling, but do try to let up a bit," Jade stated once they were out of an earshot. "Your constant distractedness is doing you both a disservice. It wouldn't do to have you fall into a trap because of your inattentiveness, now would it?"
"What do you know?" Asch grumbled.
"I know that if it were Luke in your position, he would have the utmost faith in your abilities and would trust you to look out for yourself without having to check in every ten seconds. Have some faith in your brother as he always has in you."
Asch muttered something under his breath that even the Colonel's acute hearing couldn't quite pick up. He was displeased, but still considering the point made. "I guess you're right," the redhead finally conceded. "I know he'll be okay... but that doesn't make it any easier to swallow. It doesn't make it okay that he's stuck with who knows how many soldiers hell bent on kill him!"
"It's not your fault he's in there, you know." Asch's eyes flew up to meet Jade's unwavering gaze. How easily these children seemed to forget how readable they were. "Luke chose to stay there so he could protect you, so he could protect all of us. Those feelings are his alone; to blame yourself is to ignore those sentiments completely."
"Why do you always have to be right?" Asch demanded.
"It's an unfortunate habit of mine, I'm afraid," Jade replied, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. When he got no reply, Jade returned his gaze to the redhead and found his attention elsewhere.
"You're doing it again," Jade taunted.
This time Asch scoffed but a faint grin lit his face. "What can I say? Old habits die hard."
Jade replied, but whatever he said was lost on the young monarch. Asch couldn't say he particularly cared either. He knew deep down that Jade was right, the bastard always was, but he just couldn't shake the sickening feeling that something was wrong. Then he'd found their connection open again; Luke was far too pre-occupied with his fight to keep it closed and so Asch watched on as soldier after soldier fell to Luke's blade.
Asch trusted Luke; it wasn't that he doubted his little brother's skills, or even that he believed Luke couldn't overcome this. He did; he had complete and utter faith in his sibling... that was why Asch himself couldn't explain what it was that inexorably drew him in. Some unseen force constantly pulled at him and every second he forced himself to close their connection was spent thinking about how long before he could dare to open it again. He simply couldn't turn his attention from Luke, who, in spite of his growing weariness, was still holding his own against the hoard of soldiers surrounding him.
Worse than his inability to avert his attention from Luke's dilemma, however, was that to his sibling, Asch was a distraction. He was doing nothing to help and he wouldn't discredit Luke so much as to pretend he hadn't noticed Asch's presence every few minutes. By all rights Asch should just bury the pit in his stomach, dismiss his inexplicable unease and leave Luke to his battle. He was just being a bother! Worse, distracting Luke right now was going to get his sibling killed! He just needed to let it go! Asch was about to retreat completely when he felt Luke smile. Though Luke offered no words, not daring to falter, the gratitude for Asch's sentiments came across none the less. Asch returned the mental smile and continued to observe.
The marble step came as a surprise to Asch, who had become so completely engrossed in Luke's world that he'd forgotten he was still walking alongside his friends. Jade firmly grasped the redhead's arm and spared him the tumble he'd have otherwise taken. Asch earned himself a harsh glare from the Colonel but behind his eyes danced a light that told him exactly what Jade no longer had to say. I told you so.
Asch didn't even bother to see what kind of reaction his fumble had earned him from the others. Given the circumstances, such a thing didn't even register as relevant. His only annoyance was at the realization he couldn't watch Luke and climb the stairs at the same time, leaving Asch to begrudgingly close off their connection.
Though they were barely a story tall, the staircase seemed to extend upwards forever. Asch just wanted to get to the top so he could check and see how Luke was doing. Taking a closer look at his surroundings, Asch could see that they'd progressed a ways inwards. While at first the interior had only grasses and wildflowers, there were now trees among the shattered ruins that still lay about. Buildings with marble pillars stood to their sides, half hidden by the foliage that rose up around them. The wind rustled through the leaves and if not for the dire circumstances, Asch probably would have found the place peaceful.
Finally Asch could see the clearing at the top of the stairs; it looked to be a courtyard of sorts, leading up to an even larger building that could rival Daath's cathedral. This must be where they were headed; the place where Yulia was buried, and where Van had destroyed Hod. This was where the entire chain of events had begun, and it was where they were going to cut that chain once and for all.
The building's courtyard was nothing to scoff at either; a massive white slab cut through the green grass, covered with enough carvings to make Asch wonder if it hadn't once been a wall. He quickly dismissed the query as irrelevant. Beyond it lay more stairs leading to a second courtyard which eventually gave way to the final staircase climbing to the building itself. The quick survey was enough for the redhead who was more concerned with how much time he had before reaching the next set of stairs. There was enough time, he would just check on Luke quickly and that would be it.
Every time Asch had checked on Luke thus far, he had found the same thing; the same weary but confident aura permeated Luke's mind. A determination spawned from a will that was far stronger than the marble prison containing him. It was this raw will alone that had appeased Asch, that had reassured him nothing would happen. Nothing would go wrong so long as Luke held to the inner strength that this journey had bred in him; after all, Asch knew better than anyone when Luke set his mind on something, there was no stopping him.
Yet when Asch opened their connection, he was flooded with a panic that set his own heart racing. His senses flared, fighting his way through the confusion and chaos in Luke's mind. What was happening? What was wrong?
Luke's surroundings hadn't changed; he still stood on the main platform, having pushed the Oracle Knights back through the barricade to give himself more room. There were only a handful of them left but everything was flying by so quickly Asch couldn't sort out what was going on. Luke's movements were an un-coordinated tumult and several more bodies crashed to the ground. Asch could feel his sibling focus on a retreating Knight.
'No, Luke don't! Don't be reckless!'
Luke took off after the soldier despite his brother's warning, his charge leaving him dangerously open. They'd come so far! He wasn't going to let it end here!
"It's a fake!" The soldier called out. "The Jewel he has is-"
Luke's sword pierced the man, and blood came pouring forth, further staining the blade already bathed in crimson. Luke paused to catch the breath that was so readily escaping him, his every limb felt heavy and sluggish but he willed them to respond. He wasn't done yet... there were still two soldiers left standing. He couldn't risk that they'd figured out his ruse too. He could rest when this was over. A flurry of movement came from the corner of his eye.
'Look out!' Asch's voice rang like a bell, snapping Luke from his daze. The younger redhead barely reacted in time, his sword meeting his opponent's just a hair before the blade came down, dancing inches away from his skull. The weight made Luke's arms tremble, but he wouldn't lose! He had sworn he would protect his friends. He made Asch promise they would see each other again! He-
Blood splattered across the uniform of the Oracle Knight he faced and for a split second Luke pondered its source. Looking down, Luke saw a red sheen glimmer off the sword protruding from his abdomen.
Asch's legs buckled out from under him.
A crippling agony shot through Luke, searing his every nerve until his entire body felt ablaze. The wave of nausea was the least of his concerns as a second wave of dizziness left Luke scrambling to keep his sword from faltering. It didn't take Asch's silent hysteria for him to know the severity of his wound; but Luke refused to give in now. Willing his eyes to focus, Luke called on every reserve of strength he possessed and slew the soldier in front of him. Not allowing himself to stop, Luke pushed forward with his momentum and swung around, the motion ripping the sword through his internal organs, leaving a deep gash that poured its contents onto the bloodstained floor. Thrown off balance by Luke's sudden movement, the last Oracle Knight barely had time to register the boy's attack before it collided with his helmet, effectively piercing his skull and striking him dead where he stood.
Now completely alone in the room, Luke stumbled back until he found the support of the wall behind him. He looked down at the offending blade still embedded in his gut, stemming some of the blood flow. Luke stared at the fatal injury long and hard, its consequences trying to work through the sudden haze in his mind. Adrenaline ebbed away, consumed by pain that overpowered his every sense, Unable to bear his weight, Luke collapsed to the ground, painting the wall red as he fell.
He had succeeded... he had protected everyone... for once... he had finally been able to protect Asch...
"Luke!"
Asch's voice pierced the fog in his mind, and Luke wondered vaguely why he sounded so upset. But he could ask Asch when he woke up. He was so tired...
"No! Luke! Don't you dare-! Yulia damn it all! Don't you give up like that!"
Asch hadn't even realized he'd spoken aloud. Around him he vaguely registered the panicked cries of his friends, who had all turned to him when he'd fallen to his knees, now demanding to know what was going on. Their voices couldn't penetrate the panic, the sheer and utter rejection of what he was witnessing. Right now his world only consisted of one thing, and if Luke vanished... if he actually- actually died... then the very foundations of everything Asch believed would be ripped out from under him. It just wasn't possible. Luke couldn't... Luke couldn't die! They'd finally figured each other out, they'd made amends, been able to see eye to eye. This wasn't going to end here! It couldn't! It just... it just...
"Come on Luke!" Asch screamed. "You have to pull through this! You can't die on me! Don't you dare die!"
Die? The thought crossed Luke's clouded mind. Who was going to die?
Don't die!
The cry shot through Luke's mind, clearing some of the fog. Glancing down, Luke noticed the sword still stained in his blood. He ran his hand across the blade; it shifted and agony flew up from his abdomen, clearing the last of the haze that lingered over him, leaving Luke to heave as he tried to endure it. That's right, he was the one dying... it was a pool of his own blood he sat in. The thought sent nausea crashing over him and whatever contents remained in his stomach were now strewn across the floor. Luke wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, pulling it back only to see it covered in the blood he'd just thrown up.
'Asch...' Luke managed weakly. 'I'm... sorry.'
Shock... fear... denial... anger... grief... In a heartbeat all these emotions erupted from Asch's mind, seeping through every muscle and joint until his entire body writhed. His lungs refused to function, his mind was an incoherent mess, and if there was still a heart that beat in his chest, it was lost to him. Nothing remained in its place but an inescapable void that tore through him until all he could do was scream incoherently into the silent air.
Asch's scream was laced with such powerful agony that Luke felt it like a second sword piercing his chest. Luke reeled from the squall of emotions it carried. The loneliness, the grief, the frustration... it was the cry of someone who'd lost everything. The cry of someone who'd rather die than face the insurmountable loss... then face the empty days ahead. Asch's scream died with his cracking voice, but the suffering that lingered in his mind was far from being so easily broken. Luke knew that pit... he knew the void that ate away at everything until it was the only thing left, searing a hole through the empty remains of your heart. He knew that pain... and that alone brought tears to his eyes.
Why...Why was he crying? Luke held a bloodstained hand to the water that trailed down his face, shaking with the effort such a simple gesture demanded. He'd been able to protect them, hadn't he? He had saved his friends, he had saved Asch... he'd done everything he wanted to do with the time he had left... so why?
Yet, it wasn't just his pain he felt. Luke wasn't the one really suffering... he wasn't the one who would be left behind. Maybe... maybe that was the reason in and of itself. What bred these tears wasn't the sword that had pierced him, it wasn't the blood that ran in fiery pools across his skin. Luke wept for every ounce of the loneliness and sorrow Asch would feel, every bit of the ice that ripped through them and encased what shards of their heart dared to survive. He wept because in these last moments, their pain was one and the same.
'Asch...' Luke coughed, unleashing another surge of torment to course through his body. 'Could you tell Tear... I'm sorry?'
"No! No, I won't! Tell her your damn self!" Asch choked out. "We've come too far to end here! Not now! Not like this! I... I can't do this by myself!"
'You can.' Luke managed to smile weakly. 'You were always the strong one, remember?'
"That's bull! I've never been strong. I've never been as strong as you! You're always showing me up and proving you're the better person so you can't just give up now!" Asch pleaded. "Where's the Luke I look up to? Where's the Luke I admire, damn it!"
'Asch...' Luke coughed again; the unmistakeable taste of blood flooded his mouth. Still, Luke reached up, as if his arms could cross space and time and reach his grieving sibling. 'Every bit of that strength... every bit of that will... I learned from you. You will win. Because... because I believe... in... you.'
The snap of Asch's will was audible. The ensuing scream consumed Eldrant's air, reverberating across the hollow fields until fire tore through him. Asch choked on every breath; each heave became a struggle as oxygen fled from his burning chest. Whether he was echoing Luke's pain, or whether the sword Asch felt plunged into his stomach was of his own doing, he would never know. Right now there was nothing but the gut wrenching agony of loss. Whatever feelings he had left, whatever charred remains still existed burned mercilessly away at him, ripped him apart piece by piece from the inside out until all Asch wanted was to die too. If there was any justice in this world, it would take him, and spare Luke instead.
Asch raked his hands across the marble ground, digging his fingers into the impenetrable rock as if he could crumble it with his frustration alone. Every moment ran through his mind, Luke's every word, his every smile. The look on his face when he'd been swept away from the manor, his mischievous grin when they'd first switched, Choral Castle, Akzeriuth, Daath, the Passage Rings, the Absorption Gate, the Tower of Rem; their every moment, their every experience, he watched them all. Luke's laugh, his tears, everything in between. Their fights, their pranks... their farewells, every memory had the same light, the same glow that Luke brought with him to every encounter he had. This wasn't it! This wasn't the culmination of it all!
Asch slammed his fists against the ground, opening his mouth for words that would never come. He smashed the ground again and again, desperate to feel something... anything but this overwhelming agony... anything but Luke's dying moments...anything... but for Asch there could be no greater pain and nothing changed. Not his dying heart, not Luke's final breaths... none of it. He couldn't change it... he couldn't save him... but... he couldn't just say goodbye to Luke!
Jade motioned forward but hesitated as the air before him shivered with fonons. It was bad enough not to be certain of what was going on, though given Asch's state there really was little left for the imagination. He was completely beyond reason, absolved in the fact that Luke, wherever he might be, had died, or was in the process of. It was a thought Jade brought to mind with great difficulty and perhaps that was why he hesitated to step in further. He wished more than anything for a clearer idea of what was transpiring. For now the only thing he could say with certainty was that Asch's state of hysteria, and the sheer number of Seventh Fonons at his disposal considering their location on an entirely replicated land mass was going to spell the end to them all if something didn't happen. And happen soon.
Asch stared blankly at the ground; even the fonons swirling about him couldn't penetrate the depths of his shell-shocked mind. His only sense was that of the weakening connection to Luke. Across it there were no more words, no more thoughts... just a slowly fading consciousness. He could feel Luke's life as it waned. Asch desperately grasped at the fleeting energy. Each time it escaped spurred his fervour, each thread that fled left so few in its wake and each wisp slipped pitiless through his fingers. This wasn't over! If he had to take on Yulia herself he would spare Luke his fate! He would fight until his last breath! Until the world had no choice but to spare this one life, this one person who deserved to live more than anyone! More than anyone... more than... Why? Why couldn't this world accept Luke? Why no matter how hard he fought to protect it and everyone in it? Was this what he earned? To die cold and alone, away from his loved ones and the friends he'd died to protect? After all his sacrifices, everything he gave up... if anyone deserved better it was him!
Asch sank further into the ground, his back shaking as he heaved. His empty chest burned until every attempt to scream raked his hoarse voice and caught in his constricted throat. He choked on every breath he drew; died a little more with each fleeting second Luke's life fled. He'd give anything; do anything if it would mean Luke could survive. Even if it meant taking his place, even if it meant sacrificing everything... Luke had to survive. The world needed his light; it needed his smile more than anything. They were supposed to build a new future for the world, but how could they do it over Luke's corpse? How could he build his future if it was empty of the one thing that really mattered, damn it!
If Luke was going to disappear... if he really was going to die, then Asch wanted nothing of the world left behind.
Nothing mattered anymore... this world was nothing to him if it didn't have Luke in it. He'd always known that deep down, he had caught a glimpse of it at the Tower of Rem... All Asch ever wanted was a world in which Luke could keep smiling. For eight long years that had been his only goal. Everything he'd ever done, for Kimlasca, for Baticul, for this world... that had been the only end in mind. If now even that was lost to him then everything should... everything should just...
The Seventh Fonons began to swirl more violently than ever, resonating until even Jade was forced to cover his ears to shield them from the piercing sound. Asch was falling deeper into hysteria, completely unaware of anything around him. For a split second Jade's eyes met the boy's and seeing the emptiness behind them, he wondered if when Luke died, Asch would follow. As a researcher he knew such a thing was impossible, that there was no bond so strong as to tie to lives together in such a manner; but in that brief moment, he wondered if perhaps there was.
"Everything..." Asch's whisper was barely audible above the sound of the fonons. "Everything should just..."
"Asch, get a hold of yourself!" Jade yelled. "If you don't calm down you'll take half of Eldrant with you!"
"Everything should just vanish."
"That isn't what you want!" Jade fought his way through the fonon storm, but the force of such a massive number of Seventh Fonons pushed him back. "You don't want to destroy anything! Think Asch! What is it you really want?"
What he wanted? He didn't have to think! He wanted his little brother back! Asch just wanted Luke, but Luke was dying! He fought and fought but no matter what he did Luke's life continued to fade. How was he supposed to live on knowing Luke would never be there when he returned home? How was he supposed to go back to the days of nothing? Borrowed dreams, hollow goals... that's all that existed before Luke. He was alone. Completely and utterly alone. No one really knew him. No one really understood him. He couldn't! He couldn't live like that again!
There was nothing he could do. All that strength, all that knowledge... everything he had gained since then meant nothing! Because he couldn't protect the one thing that mattered! He wanted it back. He needed it back. He couldn't protect the world without Luke. Didn't anyone understand? Luke's life, his hope, his dreams, his carefree smile; that was his world. He didn't care about anything! He just wanted Luke back!
"Give him back damn it!"
Jade was thrown back by the racing fonons, their wild pattern grew forceful and dangerously focused. Though not a master of the Seventh Fonon by any means, Jade had spent enough time around the boys to know the pattern the fonons followed, and a hyperresonance of this magnitude was one from which nothing on this island would escape.
"Asch!" Jade screamed but it was too late. The fonons all converged, and Jade braced himself for the inevitable explosion.
Drip.
Everything was dark. A single drop of rain fell, breaking the endless nothing. He wanted to move but his limbs were like lead, drained and detached they refused to obey his commands. He was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, an enigma that did and yet did not exist. Only a single sensation connected him to reality.
Drip.
A second drop fell to his cheek. He felt it run down along his nose, tracing, defining his face for his disconnected mind. That's right... he had been sitting against the wall... then everything had gone white and now here he was, lost in an endless darkness.
Drip.
No. He wasn't lost. He could feel his limbs now. The weight transformed into a throb, and then into a lacerating dagger that tore through him. His abdomen... that's right, he had been stabbed. The agony grew, its intensity radiating until it penetrated every inch of his being, clearly defining the body that had been lost to him just moments ago. He fought to open his eyes, but the effort alone drained him. It felt as if his very life was fleeing from him, every bit of energy was sapped and even such a simple gesture was futile.
"Luke... Luke please... don't... don't die..."
Beyond his body there was warmth... he could feel it now, a strong yet trembling pressure that embraced him. The warmth that so readily slipped away was being held in by this single gesture. It couldn't stop the life that fled, but it still surrounded him all the more tightly. No matter how much of it escaped, as long as it could hold on even a little bit longer... It wouldn't let go, it wouldn't concede the loss.
He wouldn't give up either. He refused to surrender. If it took everything he had... he would see him one last time.
Drip.
He'd promised.
Drip.
Luke's eyelids fluttered for a moment as he struggled against their weight but finally willed them open. The first thing he saw was Asch leaning over him, his emerald eyes overflowing with the warm tears that fell down onto Luke's face below them. The pain he saw painted there seized Luke's chest and despite the agony he was in, it was Luke's heart that hurt the most.
Summoning what little strength he had, Luke lifted his arm, reaching up until his hand sat on his sibling's cheek. The flow of tears increased in intensity and Asch sobbed as he placed his own hand over Luke's. With a weak smile, Luke moved his thumb, gently wiping the tears away only to have more replace them seconds later. Beyond all the suffering, the guilt, the emptiness that Luke felt, there was a single thought that stood out in Luke's mind.
It was the first time.
Since the day they'd first met all those years ago... it was the first time Luke had ever seen Asch cry.
Luke wanted to ask what was happening... how he'd gotten here. He fought with his mind, trying to coerce a string of thoughts from it but the effort left him trembling. He remembered being alone, watching the lifeless bodies on the floor, knowing soon he'd just be another one of them... but something intervened. A golden glow, warmth... and then he'd heard Asch's voice. He'd heard his name. He had to follow it. After all... Luke had promised...
Luke felt his own eyes water. Seeing his brother penetrated the numbness he'd hidden behind, tore through the false contentment with which he'd accepted reality and the weight of his fate struck Luke like a hammer to the chest. He tried to speak but he couldn't summon his voice through the grief that strangulated him. Why... why did everything suddenly hurt so much more? Why was it that seeing Asch made every fibre in his body ache in a way even his injury couldn't fathom to? Luke fought through the pain and his sobs and managed to get some oxygen into his burning lungs. He had to... he had to say something to Asch.
"I know...it's hard but... don't be sad..." Luke managed, weakening with each syllable he was able to produce. "I'm not."
Asch shook his head, unable to bring forth words, his tears increasing in intensity. Luke opened his mouth to continue but Asch placed a finger over it. It was impossible not to notice how sickeningly pale Luke's skin was against the colour of his own. The blood was everywhere; the sword that had previously stemmed the flow was now gone, leaving the mortal wound to pour mercilessly forth. Luke's once white jacket had been stained red, his healthy glow was now a sick pallor. The marble on which they sat was painted in an array fit for a massacre and still it flowed from him. To feel Luke dying was something Asch didn't think he could handle... to hold him while he did it... Asch's previously trembling hand began to shake violently. Luke weakly reached up with his free hand and took Asch's hand in his own, smiling weakly as the two trembled together.
'I'm not sad...' Luke repeated, his mental voice almost as weak as his physical one. 'If it weren't for you... I'd never have been created; I'd never have had this life. All I ever wanted... was to give back the life you gave me. So I'm happy... I'm happy I was able to protect you this time. I lived these 8 years to the fullest... because I got to spend them with you... watching you become the amazing person you are. You hold the world's future... and you let me be a part of that... and that made me so happy so... please don't be sad. I don't have any regrets... I don't want you to either.'
"No... don't say that. Don't say goodbye damn it!" Asch pleaded brokenly.
'You were wrong... you know,' Luke continued, his voice barely audible even in Asch's mind. 'When you said... that it wasn't my decision to make... because it was. I chose to save you... not because... it was written in the Score... or because I'm your replica... but because it's what I wanted to do with my life... I wanted to... to protect you the way... you always... protected me...'
Luke exhausted his strength and his hand slipped from Asch's face. Asch grabbed his hand before it fell to the ground, squeezing it so tightly Luke could never slip away. If he held it strongly enough he could hold onto Luke's very life.
"No!" Asch screamed frantically, choking on his sobs as he tried to speak. "I won't- I won't let you die! This whole damn world can go to hell! It isn't worth anything if you're not here!"
'You don't... believe that...' Luke fought to keep his eyes open, the light behind them flickering dangerously low. 'Do me one favour...?'
"Anything!"
'Please try... to smile more...'
"I can't! Not without you!"
'I told you...before... didn't I?' Luke said with one last smile. 'I'll always...'
Asch watched in denial as Luke's eyes began to slip shut, terror consuming every inch of his being.
'I'll always...be with you.'
No longer able to form words, Asch grabbed Luke, holding his body close as he poured out his heart, feeling it break with every sob. Each passing second that Luke grew colder was another dagger in his throat, another gut-wrenching hole in the depths of his chest that couldn't possibly be filled. His lungs screamed for air and his sobs became heaves but the tears would not stop flowing.
"Remember..." Luke's fading voice was a whisper in his ear. "You promised... to smile... to win... no matter... what..."
There wasn't a soul on Auldrant who couldn't feel Asch's heart snap. His violent sobs echoed across the empty fields, giving voice to the tears that fell into Luke's blood-stained hair. There was no measure of time for how long Asch sat there, crying into the limp body of the sibling he held so tightly. Seconds... hours... years... it meant nothing to him. His fingers wrapped tightly in Luke's hair, he rocked back and forth as he wept, the movement doing nothing to soothe the agony. This couldn't be it! This couldn't be the end! He couldn't! There wasn't a life without Luke... there wasn't.
He could feel them now; the threads of Luke's life, taut from the fight he'd put up... stretched further than allowed. Asch frantically grabbed for them, consumed by the need to do something, the need to fight for Luke's life. He couldn't let it end like this! Each time he lashed out, ensnaring a thread, each time watching it snap under destiny's cruel stare. Then only three remained... and two... then the last.
Asch refused to let go of that last strand of life, the last glimmer of the essence that was Luke. He would hold onto it as long as he had to, as long as he had breath in his body he would fight. Even if it dragged him into that endless abyss too, Asch didn't care. He wouldn't let go of Luke. He couldn't... he couldn't just give up... he couldn't let Luke die.
He waited for fate to betray him, to yank that thread from his hands like it had all the others before it. The thin fibre trembled, shivering under the weight of death's pull. Asch's soul quivered under the burden of carrying Luke's life, every ounce of strength and determination was drained from him, pouring out with the tears that fell into Luke's bloodstained hair. Still he clung to the fading essence of his little brother, grasping the last shard of hope until blood ran from him, pouring into the empty heart that waited to snap with the last of Luke's life.
The feeling was soft at first, but it only took a moment to flood him, bringing with it the energy that had so readily fled from him. A warm hand covered his own as Asch held fast to Luke's last strand of life, gently offering the last of its strength. A familiar voice flooded his mind.
Don't let go.
The change in the atmosphere was so sudden and so perceptible that even Jade's grief stricken companions couldn't help but notice it. The sudden shift in the Seventh Fonons in the air about them was impossible to ignore. While most had been consumed in the hyperresonance that had summoned the dying Luke to them, Asch's ensuing grief had almost restored the entire collection. The chaotic mass had swirled about, as disorganized and detracted as their master's mental state, but somehow in the last split second they'd become focused. They danced purposefully and determinately around the twins and Jade raced to establish the cause for this sudden change.
Asch still held his brother's body, crying in a manner that Jade had never witnessed in the boy. Never had he seen him so broken and so completely vulnerable. It shook the Necromancer more than he cared to admit. He'd seen Asch at his strongest, and several times at his weakest, but this was beyond all that. The incident with their mother, the Tower of Rem... nothing compared to this. Perhaps he had underestimated just how much Luke comprised the foundation of Asch's psyche. That being the case, what could possibly happen to him now that Luke was gone?
No... that wasn't right. Jade examined the twins with increased scrutiny. Luke wasn't dead, not yet. Quite the opposite really; his sickeningly grey skin almost had a hint of colour to it. How was that possible? The blood loss alone should have done the poor boy in long before now. Yet there was a distinct rise and fall to Luke's chest. Barely there, but present none the less. Blood may have painted the twins and their immediate surroundings, but there was very little that seemed to be flowing from Luke. Then suddenly the change in atmosphere made sense. The huge mass of Seventh Fonons was trying to bring the young noble back from the brink of death. But how? Neither Tear nor Natalia possessed such skill, and Asch didn't know any healing artes, even if he were sane enough to perform one.
Asch opened his eyes and behind the tears, a hint of gold danced in their emerald depths. A faint golden aura engulfed the boys; Jade sighed but couldn't hide the relief that spread across his face. He ought to have known.
"You're such an idiot!" Asch shouted, the tears still falling down his face. He held Luke tighter, burying those tears in his sibling's hair. "You don't understand anything do you? After all this time you still don't understand a damn thing!"
Asch shook his head spilling his tears all over his sibling, as if he could shake off the agony that still grasped at his chest, that still curled its tendrils around his throat. Every inch of him screamed to stop, but Asch refused to let his words be abated.
"You said I had to live, that I was capable of building a future, but I'm not! Not by myself! You've always been the reason I can build that better world. I see the way you live, the way you smile and I know the world can be a better place!" Asch fought through his sobs, each word stronger than the last as all his strength poured into the feelings he laid bare.
"Why don't you get it? Why can't I make you understand?" Asch's desperation painted the voice already muddled by tears. "All these years, all this time, it's always been you! You're the one who's always saving me! It was always you! Eight years ago I lost everything! When I had absolutely nothing it was you who was there for me! Every time I wanted to give up, you reminded me that the world can be a beautiful place. You showed me that it's okay to trust people one more time. You gave me a reason to live... a person to be... it's you who's given my life meaning! So don't go saying stupid things like I always protected you because you're wrong! You had always been the one to save me... I'm the one who owes you my life, not the other way around... So please..." Asch's body began to tremble. "Please... don't... don't disappear."
"I'm..." The whisper was soft, barely audible, but the sound of Luke's voice consumed Asch's entire world. "I'm sorry..."
Slowly Luke raised his arms, the movement painfully slow and laboured, sapping what little strength Luke seemed to have regained. Asch opened his mouth, thoughts of stopping him, telling Luke not to move... to save his strength all died on the tip of his tongue when those arms wrapped around him, holding him back.
There was no denying the weakness in Luke's movements... his gesture barely had any force; Asch could hardly perceive it, but there was a warmth there that made it the most powerful thing he had ever felt. Luke was moving... He was here... not slipping away or fading or... he was... alive...
Such an intense relief washed over Asch that he barely remained upright. All the turmoil and battered emotions that had sustained him until this point fled, leaving him completely drained. Asch held Luke tighter, letting what strength he had left pour into that single motion as his tears continued to flow.
It was gone. The void that tore through Asch had completely vanished and though it felt as if his every bit of strength had forsaken him, Asch didn't mind. The hole he thought could never be filled had disappeared. In its place a flame had lit inside of him, a warmth that nothing could extinguish. Since the day Asch had learnt all he had to look forward to was his death, he had been lost and uncertain, wandering not really knowing where he was headed, but not anymore. Asch knew exactly what it was he wanted in whatever little time he had left.
Before Asch could even utter the words from his mouth, the air grew vibrant with fonons. The Seventh Fonons that had been dancing so peacefully around them erupted into a chaotic formation that spoke of destruction rather than healing. Asch struggled to gather what shreds of his mind remained to figure out what was going on. As if gravity had doubled, a sudden intense pressure came crashing down on them. What was going on?
The ground beneath them was alight. The carvings Asch had so conveniently dismissed previously were now glowing in a pattern that had been invisible until moments ago. Though Asch didn't know the arte, even in his state of mind he knew its implications.
They were right in the middle of a trap.
The arte intensified, gathering even more fonons as it raced towards completion. Asch's eyes darted frantically about; there had to be something that he could do. He hadn't made it through all that to lose Luke now! But what could he do? He barely had the strength to think much less come up with some kind of counter measure. Maybe if he used a hyperresonance to destroy the glyph he could stop the arte... but the weariness consuming him made Asch uneasy. He wondered if he could manage a hyperresonance without disappearing. If it would save Luke... he'd risk it. He'd risk everything.
Luke grabbed Asch's sleeve, weakly trying to sit himself up, fighting against the trap's binding effects with each motion. Asch tried to stop him, but Luke wouldn't be deterred and managed to pull himself to Asch's eye level. Asch met his brother's gaze. His skin was no longer the deathly grey it had been minutes earlier though it was still dangerously pale. Such a relief embraced Asch that a smile crept to his face. Yes he would do anything to protect Luke. Even if he risked-
Luke's glare sharpened in protest and without words Asch could tell Luke knew exactly what he was thinking. Just as wordlessly Asch could read Luke's thoughts, and he realized how foolish he was being. He was no longer surprised that Luke knew exactly what he wanted, what he needed most of all; and perhaps it was because they were both thinking the same thing, but Asch felt connected to Luke on a level he'd never felt before. Luke's message was loud and clear and for once Asch agreed completely.
'No more,' Asch declared, looking Luke straight in the eye, the golden light still hiding deep within. 'No more sacrifices, no more risking our lives to protect each other.'
Luke nodded softly, betraying the weakness that still lingered behind his determination.
'No more... going alone,' Luke agreed.
The fonons began to swirl intently; the arte reaching its final stages as the air about them seemed to shimmer. Suddenly the weight the trap had laid on them felt meaningless, the bind broken by some unseen force. Asch raised his arm, and with a weak grin Luke clasped his brother's hand.
The golden light exploded from the twins, spreading out across the entire field, sweeping it with a force that instantly deadened all the fonons. The glyph on the ground was wiped clean, dispersing in a burst of light that melted into the golden glow that had consumed it. From a chaotic mess, the air fell silent, even the wind abating as the light dissipated leaving a faint glow outlining the boys from which it had originated.
'Whatever happens from here on,' Asch stated. 'We face it together.'
"Promise?"
Luke met Asch's shimmering gaze, a hint of his old energy returning in the firm nod he gave. The golden glow about them faded into the afternoon air.
"Promise."