The White Darkness

By Helbaworshipper

The Roland Kingdom Arc: The Songs of The Past

Chris wasn't sure how long their battle had gone. The town was in a bit more of a damaged state than before, but even the breaks to see the new damage were almost a joke in how short. Five minutes could be almost too much or someone saw a Byoma in the distance. The silence now was a miracle as he took the biggest gulp of water he could.

"It's certainly thinning out here, but it's hard to tell." Mei Lin spoke as she bandaged her leg a little. One could heal, certainly, but some small injuries it was best not to waste what they had. There was no way they could tell where the next attack would come from and how long. Still, a part of him was bothered.

"I've yet to see Kayna, Eric, or Samuel." He noted, his mind a bit wary. It was one thing for Alice and the Guardian to remain in the palace. But… Eric would not be hesitating. He knew they couldn't exactly be any thinner considering the sheer amount of forces at the disposal of the enemy. He stood up from where he had taken in a small meal to make sure he kept his strength up. "We really should be looking for them."

"We can't go out to find just them with no idea of how many of them are left." Mei Lin spoke, grasping his arm lightly. "We should-"

"So this is the one you saw," he could see the outskirts of the Roland Kingdom. Odd, it was almost intact as he looked around. Sitting in what looked to be a rather dirty alley, Samuel's body was curled up. He could sense just how much Maram was resonating. In front of him was Eric and what looked to be a few of the other people who turned out to be traitors. "A bastard child, I see..." He smiled a bit as he slowly lifted a hand out with what looked to be bread.

The child seemed even more wary and moved back. He could feel the laugh about to come out.

"That's right," Eric knelt and he saw for the first time in a long time the sheer dark smile. "Never trust anyone without evidence." He slowly placed a coin in the child's hand. "We will make this world ours. I plan to make this world mine. You can stay in it if you fight for that."

He realized for a moment that he was in the boundary. It was an overall oppressive feel, but this… This was Samuel's. His robes remained as he noticed how… off the master looked now. It was as if he were simply following a path. Lost just like he had seen earlier.

"So you drew me in without noticing?" He asked, surprising only a little the figure. He looked at Chris for a moment.

"I must find him. She said he was dead… but I… I..." His voice seemed to stray, as if not sure what to do. He seemed to be moving again as Chris tried to reach him. It felt like sludge and it kept draining him. He felt like he was being pulled into what looked to be this master's world-

"I'm proud of your progress." He was now in what looked to be the study Eric used in the kingdom. "Though I am a bit concerned at them thinking you're simply a servant." He brought a book out and placed it on the desk.

"Does it matter who I was before?"

"Not sure, does it?" Eric's smile was sincere.

"No."

"Then we must make you the most competent so no one confuses you for a servant." The two seemed to be sitting next to each other. "Do you want to rule the world?"

"Of course not," Samuel's smile glowed with Lotis despite the darkness inside him. "You're going to rule it and I'm going to live in it."

"Not very ambitious, are you?"

"I don't want to have to kill you for it."

"...K-kaara!" The protection formed around him as he moved closer, the feeling going away temporarily. From what he could tell, Samuel's body and mind were stretching out. Whether he was physically out there and fighting or simply asleep or struggling as he pulled at anything… The other side was close as he formed a fist. If he had to, he'd just have to knock sense to see what was going on. He managed to form his fist and knock into the stomach just as the shield let out. It managed to remove the brunt of the emotions attacking him. "What in the world are you doing? You're supposed to be trying to take over this world, aren't you?"

"How do you know that?" He seemed a bit more aware. Not entirely, but at least he was somehow talking with some sense. "How did… How did you get here?!"

"You took me in here, Maram Master Samuel." Chris caught his breath and reformed the Kaara with a soft breath. "Now you tell me why I'm seeing all this when Eric's you're big leader." A noticeable change as Samuel took in the reality of what he had done.

"He's not anymore."

"What… are you..."

"He's dead already!" The area cleared of what darkness had covered the area light wise. Around them was a simple church, one he knew was in the slums. In the middle was a simple, but cheap wooden coffin. It was what was left of Eric. A broken Lotis mirror. "Lotsuan killed him after what happened with Queen Mayura! Yet… I won't accept it. I can't… I can't accept it." He wanted for a moment to go and look. As he did, the eyes glared at him, the darkness coming back a little. "Don't touch it!"

"Alice has been improving in her obedience. She will be a great queen, will she not, Samuel?" It was after the big event at Wakamiya Kingdom. He saw the throne where Alice was currently sleeping with the Guardian nearby. Eric himself was simply watching from a nearby area. "She has not stopped me once."

"Will that truly be possible?"

"Do you have doubts?"

"No, just… we could finish it now. We could destroy them now."

"That's not how it works, Samuel." His voice was more serious, his gaze loving at the figure on the throne. "One must have Lotsuan's blessing. The true power and desire. Lotsuan must desire you above all else. It is how it was always done."

"What if you aren't the one-"

It hurt as he felt the hand on his neck. He was outside of that area and he could for a moment tell what was going on. Mei Lin was dealing with a lot of enemies, but she wasn't captured. He was knocked into one of the walls of the bakery. He could see Samuel's madness in front of him. A part of him understood what this person wanted.

"Riiya!" The figure was pushed back enough for him to move forward and hold Samuel down. "Even if he's dead, it doesn't mean you have to attack us out of pure despair." He kept his hands one the wrists, figuring out what word would even work right now. "What do you want? What is it that Samuel wants?"

Silence. It seemed for the first time in a very long time… He was thinking about something other than battling for control. It was a strange way to look at a conflict. They could fight consistently. They could have just punched. Yet, right here… It was as if nothing needed to be said.

"Family," his words were weak struggling only a little now. "He was… family..." Chris could feel something more light than before. Despite all the things he had seen, there was no hatred towards Eric. The two remained in placed for a moment. Samuel had lost all the people he could call family. Perhaps it wouldn't be all, but…

"Yugu," the word hit more powerful than before. Chris couldn't tell what was going on as the word struck deep inside the Maram Master's body. Slowly the body stopped struggling and he couldn't even hear a breath. It wasn't until Mei Lin pulled him off that he realized that Samuel was dead. Exhausted beyond belief, he felt drained as he collapsed against her. If it was true that Eric was dead… Why was Alice still continuing the war?