Chapter Text
The emperor emerged from the shadows, followed by Kikimora at his side, both walking with serious expressions on their respective faces; they had a mission to accomplish, and nothing was going to prevent them from achieving the goal set for the end of the day.
"So, do you think we'll make it?", asks the emperor.
"We're done with 47, I think we'll make it…", Kikimora mentions before being interrupted.
"Kikimora, please don't lie to me…", he pleaded, he doesn't want false hope, he wants the truth.
"We're not even halfway there and I don't think we'll finish in time…"
The emperor is furious.
“This place is not fit for a child!”, Belos mentions, holding out his hands as a sign of which place, he is referring to.
The damn castle was possibly the worst place for a child to grow up and live.
"I don't think it would be a habitable place for anyone, my lord…", adds Kikimora.
They both let out tired sighs.
"Is he at least well taken care of?", he questions.
"Sure, the coven leaders are divvying up 'training' periods among themselves,", she makes quotes with her hands.
The emperor happily nods, knowing full well that this was no royal training; it was more like all the witches being babysitters and fighting each other for the chance to take care of a little baby.
The smile on his face fades, his expression wrinkles at what he witnesses; Belos looked down the hall they were walking down.
'What the hell was wrong with the lighting in the castle?', he wondered, summoning a sphere of light and bringing light into the corridor.
It was as if the natural light had decided not to illuminate this part of the Boiling Isles, making the castle a sinister and terrifying place; his disdainful gaze went to the window, glaring at the dark clouds above the castle.
'Damn the moment I allowed a castle to be built in this place!', he had been a fool, giving in to the idea of certain idiots, who believed that building a castle in the heart of the titan was a good idea.
The purple boy laughed, knowing well that he thought the older counterpart of him...
Kikimora also contributed her help, holding the magic lanterns that would be hanging in the corridor; she let out a small laugh, adjusting the flashlight in its corresponding place.
"Too lenient for his people's pleas, isn't it?"
His face flushed with both anger and embarrassment, Belos turns to her, surprised by her boldness; he was grateful her face wasn't visible at the moment.
"Why the hell didn't you stop me?!", he yells, she's supposed to stop him if he does something stupid.
"I couldn't,", she declares in an emotionless tone, "They were insisting for too long, that any chance of changing your mind was impossible…"
Belos let out a pitiful growl, "Kill me…", the man mentioned, sounding as despondent as he looked.
"I can try it?!"
"Why do you sound so happy?!", The man is horrified at the happiness in Kikimora's voice.
"I've never had the chance to try…", she mentions, being glared at by the ruler of the Boiling Isles.
"No!", he exclaims, refusing to let her try to attack him.
Kikimora visibly deflates at the emperor's denial.
"It's not like you're going to die…", she murmurs, Belos gives her a scornful look, "You're unkillable…", Kikimora mutters, being aware of several attempts to finish off the emperor, all of them unsuccessful.
Belos is disgusted at such a statement, he wanted to hear the truth from Kikimora; but it was not to his liking to hear such words.
The man continued to make circles with his finger, summoning spheres of light, which are placed inside the lanterns; these lanterns will keep the light alive without the need for the summoner to keep putting up magic to keep them up.
The problem the spheres of light required magic from the one who made them to exist; Belos staggered, barely able to brace himself against a wall and keep from hitting the ground.
"Well, that's enough!", exclaims Kikimora.
"I can't stop, you know we have to end…"
"I'll find someone else to help me, you, you're going to rest…", she said pointing accusingly at the stubborn man.
"I don't need it…", but he is unable to finish his lame excuse.
The man fell to his knees, looking quite pale and unable to get up; he couldn't suffer from magical exhaustion, but he hadn't slept properly for days, so that was the consequences of lack of sleep.
"Sir, I refuse to believe your statements while the evidence is damning…"
Belos snorted bitterly, turning his attention away from Kikimora's accusing gaze.
"Don't worry sir, we'll make the castle habitable before the deadline,", Kikimora agrees to finish the goal.
The emperor nods, leaning against the wall, falling asleep on the floor; Kikimora shakes her head and calls several scouts, some to take the emperor to a more comfortable place to sleep, and others to help him with the work set.