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“Are you sure about this, Neuro? Do you think it’s even worth it? You could die.”
The girl in question stood stoically under the moon’s light, her dark gray cloak blending her into the night. From the simple ponytail that tied back her hazel brown hair to the rugged sheath carrying the sword at her hip, you would have never guessed she was once a princess.
Neuro pondered the question, though her crystal blue eyes never left the imposing stone tower before her.
“Do I think it’s even worth it?,” the princess asked. “I don’t know if it’s worth it. In the unfortunate scenario where I fail, it most definitely won’t be worth it. But because that will never happen, you shouldn’t worry.”
The woman beside her grimaced. Wrapped in similar dark clothing, she was the only remaining ally of the rogue royal. Yet even she felt troubled by the young maiden’s plans.
“I know you’re hurting, but it won’t bring him back.”
Neuro froze, the words cutting like icy blades. It was a truth she had wrestled with many times. Every time, she came to the same conclusion. Yet every time, it brought her mind screeching to a halt.
“I think I know what I’m doing, Filian,” Neuro reassured her white and purple haired companion, though the hesitance in her voice declared otherwise. “What other choice do we have?”
“We could run away!” Filian exclaimed in a low whisper. “Far enough that we don’t have to hide anymore. It might be just the two of us, but we can make it if we try! I’d make some money, and we could spend our days having fun, just like old times. Revenge could only make you feel worse.”
Neuro turned around, meeting the sorrowful gaze of her bodyguard and friend. At one point, the young girl would have agreed. The day her father was killed, all she felt was pain. For weeks, all she wanted was vengeance. However, the determination now flowing through her veins was built on something stronger.
“This isn’t about revenge, Filian.” A bittersweet smile crept onto Neuro’s face.
“This,” she said, the pride in her voice fighting back the sorrow in her eyes. “This is about protecting what he built. I want to bring justice to his name. I want to give truth to the ones that he cared about.”
“I know.” Filian said with a sniffle. “I want that too. It’s just…”
“Just what?” Neuro asked.
Filian turned away, attempting to conceal her tears.
“First I lost him. I stuck by as she framed you. She turned them against us. You’re all I have left. I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose you.”
Reaching out, Neuro grasped Filian hands in her own. “You won’t lose me Filipino Boy. You trained me. And Neuro-sama always triumphs over Evil!”
Filian let out a small, bittersweet laugh before pulling Neuro into a viciously tight hug.
“You better be frickin’ right about that.”
Filian broke their hug before kneeling down, her hands interlocked and held low as a foothold. “Go settle that score.”
The princess smiled in gratitude as she turned to the wall in front of her. Placing her left boot on her Bodyguard’s supporting hands, she rose. One foot after the other, one stone at a time, Neuro-sama began to climb the tower. Every centimeter brought her closer to her goal.
“Your false rule is coming to an end, sister,” Neuro asserted through a determined smile. “You should’ve never tried to mess with this family.”
“Will that be all, your majesty?”
“Of course, that will be all, Numi. Did I ask for anything else? Just leave me alone!”
The purple haired maid scurried away in fear as burning red eyes stared her down until the door slammed shut. Sitting cross legged on her bed, Evil Neuro scowled.
Everything had gone according to plan, yet the younger princess, now acting queen, was not satisfied.
“I don’t understand!” she yelled as she threw her crown across the room, knocking down a displayed suit of armor, metal clattering to the floor. “Why won’t he leave my mind?!”
It was only three months ago that she hatched her plan. Everything started when her older sister had been anointed as queen. Evil could still feel the fury she felt burned into the walls of her room.
It was only natural, of course, that the eldest daughter of the king would be promised the title of Queen. Evil had expected it. It was simply another item on the long list of insults thrown in her face. Or so she thought.
When the day actually came, however, Evil realized exactly what the anointment meant. Neuro was the special one; Evil was not. While Neuro was promised a kingdom, Evil was left with nothing. And she couldn’t let it stay that way.
She killed her father. There was no nicer way to put it. In a cold rage, she stabbed him to death. The first person to happen upon his body was her sister. So Evil framed her. And everyone bought it.
Neuro ran like all cowards do. Her mother, perhaps the only person to ignore her even more than her father did, was so distraught that she was deemed temporarily unfit to rule as queen. This left the kingdom only one option: Evil.
And so it was. The rule of Evil was now. No longer would she be in the shadow of her disgraced sister. No more would anyone make her feel worthless. After all, who wouldn’t worship a queen?
Yet there was a growing pit in her stomach. A voice in her head telling her she had done something wrong. She buried it time and time again, yet it always came back, more tortuous than ever.
You murderer. You killed him.
“It wasn’t murder!” Evil shouted to herself. “He wronged me! I brought myself justice!”
You ruined this family.
“What family!?” Evil cried back. “They hated me! Nobody loved me, and I simply took what was mine.”
They were the only people that truly loved you.
“Loved me?” Evil scoffed, ignoring the frantic thumping of her heart. “His love was fake. All of their love was fake!”
And whose fault is that?
“SHUT UP!” Evil screamed out in anguish, grasping her head, writhing to escape the guilt creeping in.
Eventually, the voice disappeared. Evil lay on her bed, a mess of emotion and tears.
“I don’t hate myself,” she muttered. “They hated me. But I’ll make sure that everyone in this kingdom bows before their queen.”
Slowly but surely, Neuro made her way to the top of the tower. Making quick, quiet work of the balcony guards, she approached the red stain glass doors. The doors to her sister; her target.
One hand gripped her sheath as the other opened the door, careful not to make a sound. To her surprise, the hearth was still lit, its flickering flame illuminating the room. That meant Evil yet to go to sleep. Neuro’s eyes darted around the room, heart racing until she found her target.
Crystal blue eyes met blazing red. Evil was staring directly at her. She’d blown the element of surprise. Time to change the plan.
In a flash, Neuro drew her sword as she charged towards the false queen. Her thrust missed by millimeters as Evil dove off of the bed, scrambling into the corner of the room.
She missed her chance.
In the corner of the room, Evil was rummaging through scattered pieces of armor. It was only then Neuro realized what a sorrowful state her sister was in. Dry tears stained her face, her dress ragged and her hair disheveled.
Had she been... crying?
It was only once a sharp clang was heard that Neuro was snapped out of her thinking, and she saw what Evil had been looking for: the armor's sword.
That is not good.
Closing the distance as fast as she could, Neuro went in for another thrust. The sooner she could end this fight, the better. This time, however, Evil parried it with ease, sending a strike of her own at Neuro’s face.
Neuro jerked back violently, the tip of Evil’s sword narrowly scraping the bridge of her nose, taking a few hairs with it. Stumbling back, she regained her footing, keeping her own sword pointed at Evil.
“Sister…” Evil growled, the blood running down Neuro's face marking her failure to take down her sister once and for all. She then shifted her sword back into a high guard. “Come to finish off the family line, have you?”
Neuro grimaced as the two began to test each other’s stances, Evil going east, Neuro west.
“You're a horrible liar," Neuro prodded. "You killed him, I know it. And I’m going to make you pay for your crimes.”
The two circled, one’s footwork a perfect mirror of the other’s. Evil snarled.
“It’s all your fault!” she shouted. “If you hadn’t been so perfect, he would have loved me too! Instead I was cast aside. I simply reclaimed my worth.”
Neuro clenched her teeth. Stepping forward, she threw a small cut. Evil blocked it.
“Of course he loved you, you moron,” Neuro retorted. “I’m the eldest. Of course he had to spend more time helping me, but you were precious to him too. He even had you sing for the visiting royalty instead of me. But of course you don’t remember that. You don't deserve his love.”
Evil recoiled. More pain was spreading across her face. Anger followed.
“SHUT UP!”
Evil lunged forwards, sending a strong cut downwards. Neuro barely blocked it. In came another cut. Then another.
Neuro began on the backfoot. Blocking, parrying, a few ripostes. She could win this. She had to win this. For Vedal.
“I’m going to clear my name!" she declared, her form steady with each clash of metal. "They all deserve to know the truth. You won’t give it to them, so I will. They’ll all come to see you for the disgrace you’ve become.”
“I’ll kill you!”
Evil lunged again, attacking. Left side, right side, left side, thrust. Neuro grinned. Evil was panting, eyes torn between anger a sorrow. But more importantly, she was becoming predictable.
Continuing her defensive, Neuro stayed calm. Block left, block right, block left, parry. She had to wait for the perfect moment. Then it came.
“I’ll gut you like I gutted him!”
Evil threw another thrust, this one more powerful than the last. The perfect opportunity.
Catching Evil’s blade in her crossguard, Neuro deflected the thrust, throwing Evil’s blade aside before coming in with one of her own, stabbing right into Evil’s thigh.
“AAHHH” Evil screamed in pain, giving one last wild swing at Neuro, only for it to be easily deflected, her sword kicked aside.
Growling, the evil queen looked up, only to see the sharp tapered profile of her sister’s sword. She lumped back, clutching her leg. She lost. Neuro had won.
“You’re beaten," Neuro said, breathing heavily. Her sword nearly kissed Evil's iris. "One false move, and I’ll run you through.”
Evil chuckled, her laughter unable to cover the guilty, pained tears streaming down her face. “Do it then! I know you’ve always wanted to.”
Neuro’s brow twitched. She was definitely tempted. The sister she once loved had taken everything from her. It would be justice. Yet, in the back of her mind, she remembered her father’s voice.
I know your sister can be difficult sometimes, but please, try and get along? It’s not like you have any others.
She grimaced.
“You definitely deserve to die. It would make me very happy to end you at this very second.”
Evil grunted in pain, averting her gaze.
“But,” Neuro interrupted, “Vedal would have given you a second chance. And you can’t make up for your crimes with death. You’re going to have to live with your punishment.”
Neuro raised her sword, bringing it, striking her sister with the pommel. Evil fell to the ground, unconscious.
Neuro felt a clenching in her heart. She wanted to kill her sister. Yet, what was more important was the wishes of her father, the one who loved and raised her.
“If there is a God,” Neuro said to Evil, unconscious before her, “he’ll give you the end you rightfully deserve.”
The older sister sighed, slumping down against the wall. She had everything she needed to prove her innocence. Justice would be served.