The White Darkness

By Helbaworshipper

False Treaty Arc: The Broken Treaty

Alice was in pain. She couldn't understand the pain itself but her mind was in absolute agony. She had been doing her best like usual. Seeing Kyo and Mayura dancing, she did her best to think of the best of the situation. She didn't know when that strange maram word appeared on the window. A part of her realized it was familiar, but what had it-

Her hand started to claw a bit at the chocker at her neck. Things were starting to come into her mind as she felt something was wrong. Normally an ache like this went away faster. Even more so when she wasn't doing a lesson that day. As she tried to take it off, the gem broke. Whatever the gem was had basically magnified it more as a huge amount of what felt like Ramito formed a vortex around her.

Images kept playing in her mind as she tried to stop it. Pieces of a broken castle. Her body felt so alive yet out of control.

"It is time, is it not..."

For a moment she looked around at the broken disaster around her. Something so broken she couldn't fix it. She had broken it -

"It is indeed time to see if they can change what it is meant to be."

This voice, who was it? Why did she remember it now when she couldn't remember her dreams lately? Her body took a step forward without looking. Broken glass and the darkness. Her arms went around her as she tried to remember but-

"How sad that you must weather such a trial when you are not meant to decide such a thing."

A tree. A rabbit. Her mind felt like it finally understood something. They had broken the promise. Her body calmed down despite the flaring destruction. As it stopped temporarily, she now gazed upon the rather destroyed celebration. For a moment she felt despair at the fact she saw King Seno impaled against shards of glass. For a moment her mind forgot what they had done.

"Alice! What did you just do?!" Mayura's angry voice was probably justified. Certainly she would normally shrink back and beg for forgiveness. Yet…

"I don't know," her voice was calm and honest. She slowly lifted her hand up and removed the chocker from her neck. A dark black maram word disappeared finally from it. "What sort of things should a person not loved by the Lotis do?"

"W-what? Alice, what sort of nonsense."

"Don't lie to me," her voice was almost confused as she spoke again. "Why did you do all that to me if you loved me?"

"Alice," Kyo's words were a bit labored as he started to move forward. She could see some damage on him, but not enough to be fatal. "I know you have a reason." He started to move past Mayura, who was in her Lotis robes by now. No one wanted to attack Alice if they didn't have to.

"I have plenty," she spoke as her hand lifted up slowly. Her lotis bracelet shattered, for a moment, replaced with many symbols around her body. Both Maram and Lotis formed like stars around her skin. "Which would you like, one who broke it?"

"Why did the Alice I know break?" He asked taking even more steps closer. He was almost in arm's length when an arm slowly went around her waist. She like this arm for some reason and looked towards the figure. It was someone who… Her mind felt almost too relaxed around this man.

"Eric?! And those robes..."

"What do you want with my master, your highness?" His voice was a calming tone after all the mess of thoughts in her head. "I wouldn't attack just yet, your highness Seno." Mayura's body had stopped as she saw something behind them. Still, for some reason she couldn't find a will or desire to look behind her. "You wouldn't want him to go too? Considering Alice just killed off your father."

"Why are we still here?" Her eyes turned towards Eric's. "They are not worthy of the promise."

"If you will so, Master." He quietly placed his other arm around her waist.

"Sama," Her voice spoke as the two started to fall through what looked to be a portal. For a moment her hand moved, remembering the hand going towards her. Yet, as it fell due to something, she simply let it go.

It took some time for her to apparently wake up. She only knew that she had fallen asleep when she realized that the bed was not the usual. Lifting her head up and moving out, she was met by a familiar presence. "Kayna, correct?"

"Yes Master," Even though the woman was the same, it was so different when she was aware. Kayna now wore her Maram robes much like Eric did. The woman helped her get dressed in a dark colored dress. Everything was her choice now, so no one bothered to argue if she chose a scarlet or a purple. "Eric said that your ceremonial preparations can be done at any time."

"He is most efficient." A smile came onto her face and she for a moment resembled the Alice everyone knew. "Were you able to recover?"

"Yes, though it seems the Lotis Thieves came to the rescue of everyone left behind."

"To need such a name is sad." The two moved out of the room, looking around what was an old castle. She remembered the stones of this place. Yet, she did not reminisce about it. This was the original castle and the start of the broken promise. People did not understand how they broke it.

Reaching the throne room was a simple matter. As the two finally entered it, Alice took in the enormity of the promise. A single throne sat on top of the stairs. Below was the circle of Lotis in bright white light. Behind the throne was the precious place left behind.

"It should not hurt to use the Lotis to help people."

Her mind got confused for a moment, as she seemed to be thinking about that dream again. She let it go and looked at the four of them. She lifted a hand up and entered the circle.

"The promise shall be kept."

"Yes, Master Lotsuan."

"And who shall make sure it is kept."

"You, Master Darva."

"Come and pledge to me, Eric, Kayna, Samuel, and Guardian of this place." The four entered the circle as it started to glow, forming a seal on their necks. A simple seal of the promise in the shape of the tree and the rabbit. As she finished, her body fell down only to be picked up by the man with the mask. He slowly approached the throne and placed her body on it.

"Rest well, Master Lotsuan." The four spoke as the room resonated with a calming Lotis. Only the guardian remained in spot, not saying a word.

End of the False Treaty Arc... Now to the Lotis Thieves Arc!