Chapter 5

Queen of Diamonds - Part 3

It was funny to Alfred that the first time he ever saw Arthur, he thought he looked like a fairy. Perhaps, deep down his soul knew who he was to him. Those memories of his past life were more than just fleeting pictures in his head. He felt them, the love, the guilt and sorrow. All he wanted to do was to embrace Arthur and tell him how much he loved him and how happy he was to have him but he couldn't. The Arthur who stood in front of him wasn't his.

He watched him from afar as he stood with his three children on the terrace and adjusted his son's jacket. He didn't hear what they were talking about when he watched from the window a couple floors above, but it looked like the boy who was about 12 years old was quite annoyed by his omega father who complained about his riding clothes.

Another boy, younger than the other, stood there waiting for his brother in his neat and clean clothes and helmet.

When Arthur was done, he gave his son a small push and the two boys ran away to the horse stalls while Arthur took the girl into his arms and went inside.

"I doubt I can execute my part of the deal if I'm not together with Arthur," Alfred said and leaned against the wall to look at the Joker who laid on the floor with her feet up at the wall.

"We've never specified how long you'll be together with him." She grinned from her place and wobbled with her legs.

Of course there would be a trick of some sort in their whole deal. He crossed his arms and sighed. "So, what do you want?"

She giggled and stood up from the floor still smiling and showing her somewhat pointy teeth. "I want you to destroy all the Magic Stones."

"You want what?" Alfred asked, shocked. Those stones existed for nearly 5000 years and have been a part of their hidden culture. They were a warning to the other kingdoms and secured the peace around the world, and more importantly nothing can destroy them. "That's not possible, and I can't destroy them here."

"Why not? Arthur doesn't want you to change time anyway." She shrugged.

"Right..." The thought of him staying here hurt him. What was he supposed to do, go back to Paul and live in the subcity again where nothing has changed? "Why should I do that? You helped build these weapons, why don't you destroy them? And why did you even build them? It is your fault that the mages are inside the stones, it is your fault that magic doesn't exist anymore! And how am I supposed to destroy them if the only thing that can destroy them is magic!"

Alfred noticed his voice getting louder only when he stopped speaking and breathed out in anger.

Joker only smiled at him and shrugged with her shoulders. "You'll find out one day."

"Can't you just tell me?" he asked, annoyed as she walked away.

"Where's the fun in that?" She laughed and skipped away, leaving Alfred grunt angrily.

He went down where he had seen Arthur and found a children's room full with toys in bright colors and children's books, but also small tables and chairs. Alfred wasn't sure what this room was in his timeline, probably just another common room.

Arthur sat on one of these chairs while Victoria played on the green carpet with some dolls. His eyebrows furrowed together once he saw Alfred enter the room.

"Why are you here?"

"I was looking for you, that's all," Alfred said and took a small chair and sat down beside Arthur.

"Why would you do that?" Arthur asked, still not trusting him.

Alfred shrugged. He would like to tell him about the deal with the Joker and the past life but he doubted that this Arthur would even want to hear it. He'd probably brush it off and call him names and that it didn't matter. "I just wanted to see you," he said simply and smiled.

The little girl stood up from the floor with her dolls and gave one to Alfred. "I-I'll be the princess and you have the prince," she said.

"Do you want the prince to save the princess," he said and smiled sweetly at her. Yesterday he found out that the ball was for her. It was a special day as she joined the royal court officially.

She nodded eagerly. "I'm going to hide her and a-a dragon will eat her. You-you have to save her before the dragon eat her."

"Will do." Alfred chuckled and the girl ran off to find a hiding place for the princess in the large room. "You have a sweet daughter."

"I know," Arthur said and also watched her look around and try to find a good spot.

Alfred looked down at the doll and thought of his life with Arthur. "I lied about the reason why Arthur and I don't have children," he said before looking back at the Queen again. "I'm infertile."

All those years, Alfred struggled to give Arthur what he wanted and to see him here happy with children made him more than just upset. He understood why Arthur wouldn't want to trade his children for a life without them.

He felt like he failed as his husband. Arthur always assured him that he didn't fail but it didn't make the situation better, only a little more bearable. Everyone around him always asked when they'll get children, when they'll have an heir to the throne and always get disappointed when they figure out that Alfred can't have them.

Some years ago he overheard the former King talk to Arthur and tell him to find another King Consort as long as he wasn't crowned yet. It wouldn't matter if they replaced him, Alfred wasn't of royal blood after all. Arthur didn't like when people told him to find someone else or get a secret lover just because of that, and Alfred wasn't keen on giving up Arthur, too.

He tried his best to compensate with all the work he does for the kingdom, so people see that he is a good King, that he's capable of doing the right things and do good but in the end all they care about are the things that he failed to do.

"That must be hard," Arthur said and his expression softened. "How long did you know?"

"8 years. Jack Yao had found a doctor who could help me. They gave me medications and tea but nothing worked so far."

"You must have had a second plan if nothing worked?" Arthur asked.

"We did. Dylan's oldest daughter, Mary, would've been crowned."

"She'd be a good King." Arthur nodded and Alfred smiled.

That would've been their plan but now his plans had to change. When they capture Alexander, he had to find a way to destroy the stones. Then he'd live with Paul in the subcity and would never see Arthur again who would be happy with his children and with Francis. His gut squeezed together but there's nothing he could do about it.

"Do you love him?" he asked and Arthur looked confused. "Francis."

"I do."

"I don't want to sound too strange and too bold but I'm curious why you do. You always told me that he's an asshole and that you hate him because he treated you badly. How come you married him?" Alfred asked.

Arthur was silent for a moment, thinking for a response. "I used to hate him but then I got pregnant and had to marry him. My feelings changed when he proved himself responsible."

"Huh," Alfred nodded. "I see."

"Only because I love him doesn't mean that your Arthur does. We're probably different," Arthur told him when he saw his thoughtful expression.

Alfred smiled at him thinking how cute it was that he tried to assure him that his Arthur loved him and not Francis. "I know. I doubt he has any feelings for him and if he did, I'd trust him to tell me the truth. You're also not that different."

"We have different lives, we can't be the same," Arthur said.

"Even if you were, I wouldn't mind." A sincere smile rested on Alfred's face when he looked into the forest green eyes of Queen Arthur which were the same in any of his embodiments. "It doesn't matter which timeline I'm in or which life I have. I love you in all of them."

Arthur was speechless and Alfred grinned even more when he saw his cheeks taking on color.

"O-oh well," he stuttered and turned his head away.

His attention was pulled away when Victoria suddenly grabbed his copper fingers and pulled him from the chair to find the princess.

-

"Maybe you should try something different?" Alexander listened to his friend, Caleb say.

"I'm fine," he replied low and somewhat annoyed. It was hard enough to concentrate on his work without his friend looking over his shoulder to take a glimpse of what he was doing.

It wasn't like he was against his friend working for him but sometimes it felt like he tried to do his work instead and it frustrated him. They went a long way back as his memories showed him but he didn't need someone looking over his shoulder like a babysitter all the time.

"I just want to help you. You can purchase a much cheaper one and reuse it."

"I know what I'm doing," Alexander said, even more irritated and adjusted his round dark glasses.

Caleb shrugged behind him and straightened up, taking his shadow which had laid above Alexander and which had taken the light away. "Of course but getting a new one is expensive and the business isn't booming as it used to. Give your father a little rest from your funny ideas.

"Why would you care what my father thinks? I'll be the head of this company and I can make as many changes as I want."

"That's great and I support you but Alex, listen, as your best friend I'm telling you to slow down a little because I see that something is troubling you and you shouldn't do anything reckless."

Was Alexander that predictable? Was his face so easy to read? Something was troubling him and that something was Alfred. He couldn't be sure if Alfred still remembered the other timeline and if he would try to change it again when his life was good.

His gut squeezed and a headache began to push against his skull. Everything was good, he told himself again but these words laid heavy in his stomach.

"Let me help you," Caleb said and rested his hand on Alexander's desk to look down on him.

"Maybe you're right."

-

"Hello dad," Alexander said as he went into his father's office with his documents about the new machine.

"What do you want?" his dad said without looking up from his own work.

"Can't I visit my father in his office without any wants?"

"What do you want?" he said again, still not looking up at him.

"It's about the machine."

"How much?"

His eyes were still fixed on his papers and Alexander wanted to slam the papers on his desk to make him finally look up at him but he stayed composed. He laid the documents in front of his father and let him have an eye on them.

"Ah, it's the cheaper one. Good choice. See, I told you you'll get it." It was nice to see those proud eyes on him but they didn't last long.

"It was Caleb's idea," he said but realized that he should've kept this one to himself. He didn't know why he got so sentimental and wanted his friend to have some spotlight, too. Maybe because he was always there for him, or for his father as Alexander was about to find out.

"Well, your friend understands a lot about those things but don't worry, you'll get them, too," Mr. Johnson said and rubbed along his mustache.

These kind of statements belittled Alexander, making him feel invisible in front of him, made him feel as if his father didn't see what he was doing and how good he was. It reminded him of the other timelines and the same disappointed faces, the same face his dad was doing now.

"I've got a feeling you think I'm not capable of those things?" Alexander asked him directly.

"I will not lie to you about the situation. Your actions on your various plans and projects for the company don't work. I'm glad I still have the company under my control but I'm worried about the future. I even thought of giving the company to your friend instead, someone who understands those things."

"I'm doing everything right, maybe you just have to open your eyes once in a while." Alexander frowned and his voice became louder. "I have no idea what you folks think is wrong with my plans and projects?"

"You're not smart," his father said straight into his face. "And impulsive. You've already done a lot of disgracing things in your childhood and I can't have you doing disgracing things for my company."

Maybe he wasn't able to control his emotions when he was younger and would follow them and do as he pleased. Bully other kids, get in fights with his teachers, making them call him a monster at his constant misbehavior, and do any trouble possible but that was long ago. Sure, maybe he still had some problems controlling his own emotions, but they had nothing to do with him being dumb.

"I thought you'd change when you grow up and I can leave the company to you but you got only calmer but not better in any way."

"This is it? That's what you think about me?" He couldn't understand why his dad was still stuck in the past with his behavior. They still had their wealth and honor to their name. He wanted his dad to be proud of him, make him see that he actually did something for the company, that he thought of the future. He wanted his dad to see him and not choose anyone else like he did with his work when he was younger.

"I'm not in the mood to discuss this with you," Mr. Johnson said simply.

Alexander slammed his hands on the desk to get his father's attention back. "I want to know! How can you choose him over me, your own son?"

"Zip it! I don't want to talk with you about this nonsense any further as I said enough. Go away, we'll talk about your resignation later."

This was not how it was supposed to be, no, it needed to be different. A strong headache rushed through his head making it hard to concentrate but he could care less. All of this should've been different.

He watched his father, getting into his mind with solely one purpose to make him change his decision, to make him change his feelings about him.

"You want me to take over the company, right dad? You love me and you want the company to stay a family business because I'm the only one you can trust."

Mr. Johnson was silent and leaned back in his chair while rubbing against his mustache again. "Right... maybe, I should think about it more properly."

This angered Alexander even more. His laid back demeanor and his change of heart which he would've never gotten without him. It was all fake, all those feelings, all those sentences would change back into blasphemy. He scrunched his brows in disgust as he watched his father's face lighten up. None of this was real.

He needed to calm down and think of a plan. Somehow he had to change his father's opinion, although Alexander knew that it wouldn't be easy. He didn't want to let go of a life where he had some degree of peace and comfort.

That's one of the reasons he quickly went home and back to his husband but when he entered the home, all lights were on and he was nowhere to be seen. At least not on the ground floor. He went up to the bedroom and another bad feeling settled in his stomach when he heard him laugh. But his voice wasn't the only thing he heard.

He opened the door and in the bed laid Theo with Caleb. Their laughter immediately died down and Theo jumped from the bed and covered himself up while Caleb seemed to be annoyed and slowly put on his trousers.

"I can explain," Theo frantically said.

Alexander wasn't surprised by this. It wasn't the first time he saw a scene like that but for some reason it always hurt. He always hoped to get some respect from his partners, but they always proved him wrong.

"What do you want to explain to him? That it's not what it looks like? We've been sleeping together for some years now, it's astounding that you never noticed."

"Hush, please," Theo told him but Caleb only shrugged and pulled a cigar out of his jacket that hung on a chair.

"Is it true that my father favoures you as the company's heir?" Alexander asked, not really caring about his cheating husband.

Caleb lit up his cigar and took a deep breath with it before answering and leaning with his hand on the chair. "It is. We've talked about this some time ago."

If Alexander could've known that things were this bad in this timeline, too, he would've changed something different. For some reason the timelines seemed to be all the same for him and it frustrated him even more than the headaches that took all of his concentration.

"I'm going to replace you, I'll take your husband which I already did and you have to deal with it." He moved towards Alexander who still stood at the door with his hand on the door handle, ready to slam it and walk away. "You can move and do whatever you want, I don't really care. I never did, you were just a tool for me to get here." He grinned proudly at his accomplishment.

Alexander waited for him to come closer and pulled his dagger out from underneath the coat and swiftly stabbed him into his stomach.

Theo shrieked in the corner and ran towards his lover while Caleb fell to the floor and tried to hold on to the blood.

"What have you done? You monster!" Theo yelled and kneeled on the floor, holding onto the wound as well.

Alexander could only look at the dagger with dripping blood. Perhaps he was right, perhaps he was a monster. All those years his teachers would call him that, all those years people who knew him or heard of him would avoid him. All those timelines where people would tell him how dumb and stupid his actions were but he knew what he was doing. He always did the right thing. But if they called him a monster, then he'll be a monster and he won't ever give up his plan until he got what he deserved even if it meant he had to turn into what people believed he was.

-

The alarm bells rang through the whole palace, alarming every guard and everyone that lived there. Alexander could care less about that, they should know he was there, they could come out and attack him as much as they wanted. No one, absolutely no one would prevent him from his goal.

Dark corridors stretched themselves out for him and the headaches blurred his vision, making the corridors even darker than they already were. In front of him, a group of guards positioned themselves with their swords and he stopped walking, trying to get his vision back while the pain in his head stayed.

"You can't go any further," a familiar voice said. "Surrender yourself and there will be no harm done to you."

The alpha laughed and his eyes fixated on Alfred who stood in the middle with his own sword surrounded by guards. "I have no need to surrender myself to you. I'll go through you like you're nothing."

Alexander didn't have to come any closer, this distance was enough to control their emotions. He grinned at Alfred who was visibly confused when he felt nothing. However, he didn't need long to realize that he wasn't the target.

"Don't you feel irritated that you have to follow the lead of a lowborn?" Alexander began and the guards had no other choice than to listen. "Don't you feel hate and disgust towards him, walking alongside your people and acting like he's something better?"

The guards mood dropped drastically and their gazes all fixated on Alfred. Hostile glances drilled into his skull and Alfred turned around to see them all gripping their swords tighter. "Don't listen to him," Alfred said and stepped back but their expression never changed.

"I wouldn't worry about me, I'd rather be very very furious with him instead," Alexander said and the first guard attacked Alfred.

Alfred could block him and push him away but another one started to attack him, too. Both guards swung their swords aggressively at him and all Alfred was able to do was to block them and step away. None of them noticed that Alexander hushed by when the other three joined their comrades. Alfred wasn't the best swordsman but he was glad that he picked up some things when Arthur tried to teach him. Fighting against five professional trained soldiers was obviously harder than fighting against Arthur and his teacher.

They circled around him and one of them cut his hand to which Alfred lost his sword. Another one hit him against his knee making him fall on his knees and the other swung his sword and was about to behead him. Alfred closed his eyes in fear and shock but the guard stopped at the last moment, close enough to Alfred's neck. Alfred opened his eyes again when he felt the cold blade leaving his skin and breathed out.

Everyone looked confused and the alpha who was about to behead him, put his sword away and helped Alfred to get up again. "We're terribly sorry."

Alfred never thought that Alexander was able to control multiple people at the same time. That was far more dangerous than he thought. However, Alexander couldn't control people when he was out of sight. Maybe there was a distance range or a time range, nonetheless, coming close to him wasn't an option.

Alexander made his way straight to the throne room. No guard was able to hold him and that made him feel so invincible. There was nothing that could stop him, no one could mess with his plan. In his euphorie, he strutted into the throne room with even more guards but the pain in his head intensified.

His eyes saw nothing but blurry guards move towards him. The throne room turned upside down or it was him swaying to the side, he couldn't tell. The pain throbbed inside his head and he could feel it spread down to his neck and through his limbs. In just a second, the guards were by his side, and he couldn't comprehend how and when they managed to tie him up and put a blindfold on his eyes. He wasn't even sure how he landed chained up in a cold cell, it all went too fast.

-

"This should do it," Scott said as the guards closed the heavy bronze door of the cell.

"A blindfold?" Alfred asked, confused.

"A hybrid with emotion control needs to see their victims. As long as his eyes are closed, he has no power over anyone," Scott explained.

Alfred nodded and hoped that King Scott would soon make a decision about Alexander and what he'll do with him. Keeping him in the palace was far too risky and the death sentence has been abolished. Although, he wasn't sure if it was abolished here as well.

Alexander sat on the floor and fidgeted with his fingers while swaying with his body. The pain was intense and he wanted it to stop, he wanted it to leave him or kill him but it never did. He knew about the side effects that might occur but he never thought that they would drive him insane.

Even with his pain, he picked up Alfred's and the King's conversation and giggled to himself. Every hybrid is different, every magic holder has their own rules. As far as Alexander knew, his magic was not restricted to his sight, the voice of someone was more than enough. As long as there is a person who breathes, he can control them.

His plan should've worked. Getting inside the palace and change the timeline was easy but Alfred made his path to the goal more difficult.

It was all his fault.

Voices and whispers echoed in his head telling him how weak and pathetic he was but also agreeing with him while his body swayed in pain.

It was his fault, they screamed inside his head.

He lost in the Royal Selection and it was his fault. His life was a mess after he had to flee and it was his fault. Now, he was trying to get rid of him and stop him from his goal. It was his fault he was in the dungeon. None of those people he had met in this time or any other, would've ever been mean like this towards him if Alfred wouldn't be alive.

It was his fault. It was his fault. It was his fault. His fault. His fault. His fault. His fault. Fault. Fault. Fault. Fault. Fault...

-

"How did it go?" a worried Arthur asked when Alfred and Scott walked into a yellow fireplace room where they've been waiting. "Did everything go as planned?" The Queen's eyes noticed Alfred's hand and he quickly walked up to him. "Why are you hurt, what happened?"

Alfred chuckled at his many questions and smiled fondly. "Everything's fine, Alexander was caught."

"He's still very dangerous and we need to keep an eye on him," Scott said beside Alfred.

"I think it's best for us to depart as soon as possible," Francis said when he came up to them as well.

"We're not going to leave," Arthur insisted. "The criminal is imprisoned but Scott needs to make a decision about him first."

"It's hardly a difficult task and when he'll do it, we'll be in our kingdom far away from this mess."

Arthur frowned and Alfred noticed the little tense muscle in his face and the way his eyes glistened. He knew that Arthur was about to argue and determined to win the argument but he was distracted when a guard ran into their room.

"The prisoner escaped!"

An annoyed sigh escaped Scott. "I'll get to it."

"Wait, you can't go in head first," Alfred said and stopped him.

"I know he can manipulate multiple people, you've already told me that. I'll have to meet the Ace for a quick change of plans." he left the room quickly with the guard.

"We also should leave," Francis said again and took Artur's hand but he pulled the hand back and told him 'no' one more time.

In just a second a vision crossed through Alfred's eyes. Everything looked blurry and unstable like in a dream, things would vibrate in blue or be displaced. It was harder to look through and understand the vision in this timeline than the visions he could control in his timeline. All he saw was a bunch of guards laying on the floor and Alexander in the midst.

The vision ended and nothing good would happen. If there'd be a chance to change it, it'd be in less than the next five minutes.

"I'll go with him," Alfred said.

"Me too."

"No!" Both alphas exclaimed at the Queen who was taken aback by their sudden yell.

Alfred didn't hesitate for long and hurried down the corridor. He wasn't sure where to go but rushed towards the throne room until he heard shots in the distance. He ran as fast as he could but knew that he was too late to do anything.

He ran around a corner and right in front of him laid at least six guards. Alexander stood in the middle with a concentrated expression on his face while a guard in front of him kneeled in front of him. His whole body was shaking and he heard muffled cries while he loaded a gun into his own mouth.

It shocked Alfred to the core. He knew that Alexander could make one feel fear but suicidal was a new level.

"Stop that!" Alfred shouted to get Alexander's attention.

The alpha's face darkened and he gritted his teeth. The poor guard on the floor turned around and with trembling hands held his pistol at Alfred. Quickly he hid behind the corner when the guard shot at Alfred.

"Please listen to me, Alexander," Alfred began and hoped he'd hear him. "It's too risky to jump to another timeline again. The side effects will only get worse."

Alexander knew that himself but couldn't care less. No matter how much his head hurt or how often he'd hear those loud voices and those faces, it won't stop him.

For a moment, Alexander let loose of the guard and his emotions and the guard slowly turned to Alexander with the gun aiming at him close to his own body. Alexander didn't notice this but he saw the ugly face on the guard and his body began to tremble in fear. The melting gray face screamed with its black holes as eyes and mouth, drilling into his skull. Those faces were unpredictable and he couldn't differentiate if they were real or just his imagination. The whispers in his head confirmed his fear by telling him to shoot and called it a monster and evil.

He aimed his gun, which he took from one of the guards previously, at the guard and quickly shot before he could. The soldier fell and the face vanished from his face much to Alexander's relief.

"It's all your fault," Alexander whispered while the whispers in his head told him to kill himself and called him names. "It's your fault I had to do this, it's your fault that I'm in pain!" Alexander yelled out and stomped towards Alfred.

Alfred, who was in shock when he heard the gunshot, turned his head around the corner only to see Alexander coming towards him with a gun in his hand. He ran again. No idea where to go or where to hide. His only chance was to knock him out somehow.

Alexander was right behind him and shot into his direction but missed him. When Alfred turned around, he noticed him swaying to the side and holding on to his head as he walked. Either he was drunk or the side effects had a worse reaction on him than he thought.

He wanted to take this to his own advantage and when he rounded the next corner he stopped and waited for him to come close. When he did, Alfred attacked him by punching him in the face and Alexander stumbled against the wall. The punch however triggered his hands and he shot with the gun downwards and the bullet hit Alfred's foot.

The sharp pain spread quickly through his foot and Alfred yelled out in pain and jumped back, holding on to his foot. It distracted him long enough that Alexander was able to leap at Alfred and push him down on the floor. His hands were strongly at Alfred's neck suffocating him.

Alfred struggled underneath him, trying to get his hands and him off of him while his face began to turn blue. His lungs gasped and felt like they would explode in the tight body.

Suddenly, Alexander got hit from behind and when he turned around, his attacker blew another hit with a stool right against his face. Alexander let go of Alfred to hold his own nose. Alfred coughed and breathed some fresh air into his lungs again before quickly pushing Alexander off him and standing up.

A hand held his arm and a worried and shocked Arthur stood beside him with a stool in his hand. He wasn't even able to say thank you before Alexander was about to stand up with his bloody nose. And so, Alfred took Arthur's hand and pulled him along the corridor. Behind them, Alexander struggled with his coordination again and held onto his head before stopping to follow the two.

"You should've stayed in the fireplace room," Alfred said out of breath with his recovering lungs.

"And let you die?" Arthur asked and they stopped running for a second for Alfred to breath and to rest his injured foot.

Alfred smiled and rubbed at his throat, still feeling Alexander's hands on it. This Arthur wasn't much different than his after all. "Thank you."

This time Arthur pulled him along and they ended up in the same room as before where Francis was still sitting.

"Where have you been?" Francis asked and rubbed his temples when he saw Alfred. "You went with him, why?"

"I've got a good intuition," Arthur said simply.

"Alfred!"

They jumped when they heard Alexander scream in the corridor. Francis quickly took Arthur to himself and Alfred took a sharp enough fireplace tool and was ready to attack Alexander the moment he walked into the room. But when he did, Alexander aimed at Arthur and Alfred hesitated.

"Try and I kill him!" He glared at Alfred when his fingers were close to pulling the trigger.

Alfred stopped and his eyes switched to Arthur who was held by Francis. Whatever Alexander wanted he'd do it just so Arthur could be safe but when he looked back at the alpha something wasn't right with him.

His eyes trembled in his own eye sockets and the pain ran through his head and his bones deep deep inside. The whispers told him to shoot and loiter, some called him a loser and a King while others laughed at his own weakness. His eyes were fixed on Alfred and then he saw the most gruesome face of all of them. It wasn't just his face, his whole body melted in grayish color and his mouth screamed the loudest in his face. The creature in his head rushed towards him in small but fast footsteps, making Alexander cry out in fear, shoot and cover his face.

When he pulled his hands from his face he saw Francis holding Arthur's lifeless body on the floor and Alfred's shocked stare.

He couldn't stay here any longer, he needed to change the timeline again, he needed to before Alfred did it. Everything had to be according to his plan and Alfred couldn't ruin it for him. The voices in his head laughed and brabbled to rain down more fire but he couldn't listen and ran through the askew corridors.

Alfred walked up to Francis and couldn't comprehend seeing Arthur this way. Blood flew out of his head where the bullet went through and his eyes were dull and staring lifeless at the ceiling. Francis held him close and cried into the crook of his neck.

Even though Alfred had promised not to change time, how much was it worth if Arthur couldn't live in the world he wanted to protect so much. Alexander couldn't get away with that, he couldn't just change everything again and do what he pleased.

Rage built up inside Alfred and he bailed his fists before running out of the corridor and through the palace towards the throne room.

Alexander was slower than him and he catched up to him in the maze when he was about to enter the garden. The garden was like he remembered. Trees and vines grew alongside the walls, grass and flowers spread on the meadow beneath his feet and in the middle of all that stood a roundish stone on a pedestal. Just as tall as Alfred and with a blue stone in the middle. A dead language was written on it in a spiral towards the blue stone and Alexander headed towards it.

With the pain in his foot he sped up and tackled Alexander to the floor. They rolled around the grass and each of them wanted to have the upper hand but Alfred was stronger and held Alexander's arms to the side.

The ugly face however returned and the full body monster hovered above Alexander screaming at him and wanting to swallow him into the depths of nothing. Alexander panicked and screamed. He kicked and punched Alfred out of his way, wanting to flee this terror.

He kicked him off and stood up to touch the blue stone. The stone began to light up and then the writing as well. Alfred hurried to stand up and pushed against Alexander while the light of the stone embraced both of them.

Both fell into nothingness and tumbled around in the black vast space. The only light were the blue timelines through which they fell. They couldn't stop tumbling and turn upside down and hit one blue line after the other which separated themselves from its place and spread blue shining dust into the black space. Until the shining light of a bigger line swallowed them once again, transporting them into a timeline unknown to both of them.