The White Darkness

By Helbaworshipper

The Roland Kingdom Arc: The Family Illusion

Kyo was by no means a man who felt he could do as many strategies as others. However, since learning at the camp, he was learning far more than he'd thought he'd learn. Now, no the battlefield far away from his own Kingdom… It almost felt like it had been longer than the probable months. He couldn't remember the time between Alice's sudden awakening and him standing here. He felt as if, for a moment, he had never had that past.

"You'll be alright." Billy's voice and a hand on his head. It was strange to feel it out here. A part of his mind tried to let go of the not so good thoughts. "Not sure what your mom would have done, but you know better than me, don't you?" He relaxed a bit at the thought. For now, for some reason his mother's memory was keeping her alive. Whether it was somehow by Alice's power or Lotsuan's.

"If you could have met my mother again, what would you have said to her?" He asked, his gaze lightly turning towards Billy. He seemed to be quiet for a long while. He almost thought he'd say nothing when he heard a very quiet word set.

"She could have ran away with me and I might have tried to save her." He spoke, looking more sad than regretful. "She chose what she did, even if she might be alive in some fashion. You're first in line if you need to really say something."

A bit of a chuckle left his lips as he looked towards one of the commanders left of the Wakamiya forces. He moved forward without saying a word to keep moving forward.

Kyo's body felt more exhausted than it actually was as they got closer and closer to the fog around Roland Kingdom. If there was anything he admired Mayura for at this moment, it was out effective she was in telling them how to limit the Lotis consumption. There was no way to save the forces flowing out normally to begin with. Seeing the actual fog itself in person, rather than using his powers to go felt odd.

He forced his mind to look towards where Billy was. He was cleaning more blood off of his weapon. He knew this would be where he had to go alone and it scared him even more than he thought it would. Just the thought of what trials awaited him there… He gave a nod to Billy, who nodded back while putting a hand to his mirror. Touching the mirror lightly made him relax as he turned and walked into the unknown inside.

"Kayna," he could hear a voice as a strange world seemed to form around him. It was a simple shack. Not even a shack he had known around the Wakamiya Kingdom. Was this where Kayna had been raised? Perhaps something more? "You know there is no choice in the matter. You will have to go even if it is unwanted."

"You say that when it is simply you wish for your own happiness." She was so much younger, yet she looked so… It was as if her younger body was ravaged with maram. All the emotions weren't flowing out, but he could feel it.

"I didn't ask to be assigned such a young, incapable wife. It is the will of his majesty of the Wakamiya kingdom that you be taken in. You'll be able to earn a place for yourself." The man looked older than her. Yet, it was as if one could tell he was being paid to do something. "You fit such an un-"

He blinked as he realized he was now in a similar looking area. Yet, it was in Roland Kingdom from the crest. He wasn't thankfully drawn into a trap, but where his mark was burned a bit from some sort of energy. So much energy was around her, yet it was… It was as if the world had become nothing more than a still frame. He opened the door of the shack and exited to the streets. He could tell the damage was simply continuing. Most buildings were still standing, but there was nothing in it.

He continued, preparing his own sword to pull if another person came out. He approached what looked to be a guard house, making sure that none of the maram masters were guarding it. As he opened the door, he felt the scenery change in front of his eyes again.

"Master Eric, I can't delay my departure any longer!" An even younger Kayna this time. She looked tired and as if she were very upset over something. "If I stay here any longer they'll find you!" This place was far less dirty and poor in a way. It was one of the Lotis Tutor manors. An even younger Eric was smiling as he carefully held a hand to the young child's head.

"There is no need to fear, Kayna." He knelt down to look at her. "I have chosen you for a great task."

"What if father finds me? You know he will try."

"Even if he should, you have the power. I will call upon you when it truly matters."

"What truly matters Master?"

"Our victory," He kept his hand gently on her head. "You will ensure it when the time comes."

He was still in the guard house, but a part of him felt the pain. What had happened to Kayna? Why did she have an unhappy marriage? She had never said anything to him about it. Why had his mother not said a word? He shook his head as he looked to what was present. Nothing of importance, but something… Something was off around here now.

"Is that you, Kayna?" He asked, turning around as he saw what looked to be a Disuri sword in her hands. Had he not noticed, he might have been stabbed in the back. "If you want to stab me, you should do it to my face."

"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Kayna's words were simpler than usual. She lowered the sword down as the two seemed to be at a standoff. "You're here and I am to kill you."

"Is that so," Kyo's voice was softer as he kept his hands tight on the hilt of his sword. "Then at least explain why you killed my father!" He moved forward, a light of iru forming with some flame as he moved forward. The woman showed her experience as she blocked his blade. Certainly using a bow would work better, but there was no guarantee he'd be able to replenish the arrows. Still, each attack was parried as the two moved through the desolate kingdom streets.

"Does it matter when you hated him too?" Her voice was almost spitting out hatred, but the fact she wasn't screaming it meant a lot more. She had been burdened by a lot of reasons to fight with Maram and the Lotis. Yet, the Maram exuded from her more than anything. The Disuri's black blade was throbbing against his Iru flame blade.

"I didn't hate him!" He answered back, surprising her only lightly. "I didn't like what he did, but he still… he still loved me in his own way!"

"Even if he was unfaithful?" Her voice was still calm despite the accusation. "What woman wouldn't have to deal with a man as awful as him?"

"Even so, he never remarried. No women ever claimed to have children with him." The blades moved again, his Iru blade slightly closer and making a cut into her Maram Robes.

"Oh, well, he certainly had fun." Her voice was more into a chuckle. A bitter one that felt like it would engulf him as he was pushed back and he felt something… Something was trying to seep-

"Your highness, is it really necessary to be asking for so many maids outside of the kingdom?" A voice that was simple. It was his grandfather, he could tell from the portraits. His father was not the type to speak this politely about the maids and butlers. He could tell it was from when the kingdom was far more prosperous.

"My son needs people he can trust. The people here have their own ideas as we are lacking." He could see Kayna, in the attire from the shack. She was knelt down reluctantly in hopes of something. He tried to figure it out as the older man looked over what was probably a noble of sorts.

"It's not as simple as hiring any woman you're taking from places. You've yet to have a single heir with your Crown Prince."

"None wish to offer them. Princess Alice is given little hope and Princess Mayura is already potentially taken by the Weilhausen's. If anything, my son may knoc-"

"Kara," he spoke as the seeping left, leaving him slightly cut into his left leg. He pushed himself up and let his Iru reform. "Kayna… What sort of sorrow could he have done to you that might have caused this?"

"He was a royal," she simply stated, pointing lightly to her scars on her on neck. "What sort of standards do you think the man to have?" She formed a smile as she spoke. "Matsu." What looked to be the remains of pieces of the buildings were coming towards him. It was a lot, but he knew…

"V-vimuku..." He spoke, catching his breath as he moved his sword forward. He could feel the pain of the injury he dare not heal right away. He had to keep his lotis-

"Kayna," his mother's smile as she was in her old room. "Isn't he quite precious?" It was himself as a baby. Kayna was in her usual maid outfit as she nodded. "You know, I hope he'll be a good boy. I know you've been through so much. I hope he might heal you too.."

"Your highness, it's not your fault that-"

"Kayna, we promised to never say it out loud. You're a wonderful woman. You should make sure Kyo grows strong." Her gaze grew stronger as Kayna seemed to be stuck in place. "Promise me."

"You should do that."

"No, promise me."

"How do you know that you won't be able to do so?"

"I just know," his mother's arms slowly lifted him towards the maid. He could feel the woman's hold warming him up somehow. "Promise me-"

He blinked for a moment as he realized what position he was in. He was right in the middle of a building's entrance. Kayna was holding him, her blade gone. As he looked towards her, for a moment, he saw the woman he always trusted. His mind started to take into account what was in his hands. His sword was through her heart.

"She knew," her voice was so soft now he struggled to hear it as he couldn't leave her grip. "She knew and yet… she forgave him." Her eyes struggled to focus. Her hands were weakening as she tried to speak. "I broke my promise. I'm sorry… Your… Highness..." He wanted to heal her, he started to speak as her hands tightened again. "No, it's too late..." Her voice was so weak now he couldn't even hear her quite at all. She let go as he remained in place.

"Thank you for freeing her." His mother's figure simply seemed to be standing near him. It wasn't a change of scenery this time. "I didn't wish this for anyone. Especially you, my son."

"Why didn't say say it?"

"There are things that you only need to know at the time." She simply answered, her hand touching Kayna's face. "She kept her promise the only way she could now." Her other arm went around him as he realized he was now crying. He felt the sword leave as he sobbed. He didn't know how long they had remained that way. Eventually, her hand slowly touched his wet cheek. "Now… make your decision. Choose what you want for your future."

Kayna's dead body remained below him, his mother gone. He wiped what remained of his tears as he spoke. "Aleto," as the body started to slowly lose the maram overtaking it, he saw her as she always was. Taking a deep breath and a final look to make her comfortable, he slowly turned and walked away from the place. His mother was right either way. He'd figure more of this out once he'd saved Alice. Whatever his final decision ended up being.

Notes:

Woo, now that was... rather emotional, wasn't it? I was crying writing this, but maybe it's because I've spent a lot of time in this world and writing it out. We're getting very close to the end now.