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The rumbling stopped after what felt like years and the screams died down. There was quiet, a deadly one, screaming of the destruction that had taken place. It was haunting and death was all around him as he walked through the ashen remains of what was once a glorious kingdom. Barbatos had seen it before they were sent there, all seven of them sent to destroy these humans. Mortals that dared too much, whose freedom became their downfall.
He saw something glowing in the ashes and blood and stopped his heavy steps, instead kneeling down into the dirt to pick up the object. It seemed to be a picture frame, and as he wiped it clean, staining his perfect white outfit, he saw a family smiling back at him. The parents seemed happy, bright smiled that twinkled in their eyes and showed a full toothy grin. The girl between them had a gap between her teeth and held up a big bouquet of flowers.
Barbatos felt his hands starting to shake as he held the picture tight, letting his arms fall down onto his legs. He felt his eyes sting with tears, his hood only falling further into his eyes as he sobbed into the quiet. Into the dead rubble and blood-stained rocks.
Even when he heard movement behind him he didn't move, he knew from the steps who it was. He didn't turn or greet the other, he stayed how he was, softly shaking as a breeze took some of the dirt with it.
"What are you still doing here, Barbatos?" his strong voice felt too loud in the quiet, too strong for what had happened and the tragedy in it all.
Barbatos sniffled, wiping his tears with his sleeve, "Can't I honor the lives lost without you interrupting me? I thought you were busy elsewhere."
He heard the other coming closer, but he still didn't move, "Why do you mourn these mortals? I agree that this is indeed a great tragedy but-"
"But?" he said back, turning just enough to glare at the man, "Can you justify the death of these people, Morax? Can you with a guilt-free mind?" he looked back over the destruction.
He heard in the silence how the other thought before speaking again, "What is done, is done. We cannot undo the deeds we did, so I cannot mourn these people. If it were my people, I would. These were godless humans, Barbatos. The threat beginning to grow, you seem to forget this."
Barbatos stood up at this, picture disregarded in the dirt, "How can you be so heartless, Morax? And with a clear consciousness at that." he scoffed, "Mayhaps gods and monsters aren't as far apart as we thought."
He felt the earth rumble the tiniest bit, seemingly hitting a nerve within the other archon, "Are you off all beings calling me a monster?"
Barbatos turned, growing angrier by the second, "Well look around! Do you think this all would have happened if we hadn't been here?" he put his arms up and spun, kicking away rocks with his bare feet, "We killed all of these innocent people, and without an ounce of hesitation at that! We came into their kingdom and destroyed them without a warning. They were helpless for goodness sake!" he felt new tears coming up, "They were free! The freest a nation can be, especially without a God to lead them! They had it all, and we came in and trampled it all dead. We punished them for being who they were. Punished them for their freedom." he stopped and looked onto the destroyed streets, "We are monsters, for everything we did here. All of us."
He had seen this conflict before. Back when he was just a tiny spirit, following a boy. That time he was on the other side. He was on the side of freedom, of breaking free from norms and oppressive systems. And now he contributed to everything he fought against.
"This war we waged is against every principle I fight for, Morax." he continued, quieter, as the other joined him, standing by his side, "I have seen this all before, and now I have seen both sides of this conflict with two different endings to it. Now we suppressed freedom, while I fought for it the last time. I fought against a tyrant before, now we are the tyrants. Don't you see?" he looked down at his bruised hands.
"I think I do." Barbatos looked over at the other, who softly grabbed the Anemo Archos hands in his own, "All that I have known is battle, Barbatos. Unlike this, I witnessed gods being killed, nations falling with their death. I have only seen the downfall of nations whenever they fell godless, the spite in those nations growing. The greed of the unbelieving and spiteful is a powerful weapon, and I feared it would fester here too. But you are right." Morax looked down, "These people just wanted to live the way they intended. They had true freedom as you have always wanted for your people. These people managed to thrive without divine interference and did so without hatred or resentment." he furrowed his brows and Barbatos watched him, "It is still hard for me to understand this, and your view on these things. Freedom is something I still cannot quite grasp I'm afraid."
Barbatos couldn't help the small sad smile on his lips when he hugged the other, arms clutching hard around the other archon, nose nuzzled in his neck, "I am sure you will, someday. Maybe I can show you what it is like to live free, without the bounds and restrictions of contracts. Maybe then, when that is possible, nations like these can grow and survive. Do you think that is possible? Freedom without gods? "
"You are the God of freedom, so I suppose you should know, no?" Barbatos shoved at the man at that, this not being the answer he wanted, causing Morax to chuckle, "I... Presume it is. A lot has to change, but I am sure of its possibility."
And as they stood there and looked out over the dead rubble, they listened as the breeze took with it ash and dust and a quiet engulfed them. It did not feel lonely anymore to Barbatos, he knew that Morax would understand with time and he knew that this meant he wasn't alone. He never was and he never would be.