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Ran had close ties with death, he was born amidst it, he had fought through it, and survived it numerous times… That made this feeling all the more strange to him. His last remaining strength was to hold the Sword of Winter Shadow and keep it from falling into her hands, the hands of that spiteful Lua who grinned as she pinched the tip of his blade with only two fingers.
Each pull was trivial to her, but a lifetime of pain to Ran as he could barely hold it all together to spare himself a few short breaths. “Aww, are you in pain, little swordsman?” She shook her head, and with each shake, Ran felt a few more seconds drained from his remaining life force. “Always so reckless and always running into things without a care for yourself, but so greedy nevertheless…” She smiled and flicked his forehead. “Zahhak is not here to clean up your mess, how does that make you feel?”
“......damn you.” Ran gritted his teeth and finally let go of the sword, it no longer was a burden he could bring himself to carry, as it had now been replaced with flashing images of Zahhak in his mind. All the times he almost stepped through death’s door, and how his friend was there to pull him out, always almost getting himself dragged in in the process.
“I don’t know what he sees in you, honestly.” Lua sighed, lowering herself and honestly putting in more effort than she would ever have cared to. Nevertheless, the amusement in what came next was truly a sight to behold. “Any final words you’d wish me to pass along? Zahhak valued you, I wonder how he’ll deal with this loss… Not that I care in the slightest, obviously.”
Ran closed his eyes and took a deep breath, a final one, so to speak. Just when he wanted to open his mouth to voice them and say what he should have said decades ago, two simple words that could’ve possibly prevented them from getting into the current day’s situation in the first place, Lua giggled… and covered his mouth with her hand.
Ran’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t fight her, not now, not anymore.
“Oops! Cat got your tongue, or was it just me?” She smirked, concealing her smug grin behind her fan as she removed her hand, and with that Ran’s single attempt at making amends and finding peace; like it never even existed. “Oh no, maybe you should give it another try? Here, I’m all ears~”
Lua put her hand behind her ear, as if that would allow her to understand the voiceless whispers coming from Ran. “...Nothing..? That’s too bad…” She tapped the fan against her lips and shook her head again disappointedly. “I’d say that some day you’d be forgotten, with not a single person to ever remember your name, but…” She smirked ever so satisfied. “Zahhak will remember, and doesn’t that make it ever so much worse for the both of you?”
With the Sword of Winter Shadow in hand, she placed a single white flower on top of Ran’s chest, amounting to as much of a funeral as he’d get from her before she had gotten bored and decided to head back to the palace.
It was raining, which it did not often do in Theranhad. The people believed it was a sign of bad news to come, but continued their everyday lives knowing Zahhak would be there to handle whatever was to come.
Zio was currently sleeping, as boredom had consumed him he retired early for the night.
Zahhak held the talisman attached to Pure White Trust tightly, a sudden feeling of unease consumed him but he could not locate the source of it all, it made him rethink and go through all the plans in his mind and all the soldiers he had stationed through Natalon.
They’d report to him by sunrise so there was no cause for concern, that’s what he told himself, it would all be over soon.
“Someone’s looking especially weary today, is the weather the cause for that somber expression or are you just that unhappy to see me?” Lua giggled, allowing herself into his private chambers, which was a common occurrence to Zahhak, unfortunately. “Well, I've come bearing a gift, why won't you take a look?”
Zahhak didn't feel like giving her the time of day, so he ignored her. “Show me some other day, I'm in no mood to serve as a pawn for your amusement.”
He had hoped her silence served as an answer, that she complied and left as quietly as she appeared, but a sharp ice cold feeling suddenly made him turn around fast enough to make him dizzy. “...Explain yourself.” He demanded, reaching for the sword in her hands, Lua then dropped it and forced him to jump after it. “What have you done..?”
“I’ve sped up the inevitable, nothing much.” Lua shrugged. “It was more effort than it was worth, truthfully. If you want, you can claim credit for it with that boy emperor in the morning.” She took off her gloves, flicking them onto the pure white sheets of Zahhak’s bed. “Ugh, I need a bath…”
Zahhak noticed that amidst the mud of the glove, one color stood out, a color that was more familiar to him than the sword by his side; a relative of his and of Pure White Trust… “What does this red mean?” He asked himself, the sentence accidentally escaping his lips and making it all the way to Lua’s ears. “What… Have you done..?” He asked again.
“Oh?” Lua pouted, realising her gloves spoiled the surprise. “Well, I’ve done you not one, but two favors, of course!” She shut the door behind her and leaned against it, she carried an air of self satisfaction just like Aheldad did after having pushed Zahhak past the point of return with that ritual all those years ago. “You have the sword, and no rival to speak of any longer; Now your girlfriend will have no choice but to swoon for you.” She smirked, taking out a mirror that showed a reflection of him and Amid holding hands. “Maybe you’ll even have your very own romantic getaway after everything is done, who knows?”
Each word that left her mouth ringed numb through his skill.
“Here, let me do you a third favor…” Lua flipped open her fan and transformed into Amid amongst a sea of butterflies. “You can use me to practise, how does that sound?” She laughed, and laughed, and laughed. “What? Don’t tell me you expected there to be any chance between you two if he was still alive?”
Her mockery rang, and it hurt, and it pierced through his sanity.
“Stop talking.” Zahhak said.
Of course, Lua didn’t listen. “Okay, tough customer, how about this; what if I alternate her memories to only remember you? With no rival to speak of, she’ll direct all her love and affection to y-”
“I said…” Zahhak lunged at her, pushing her against the door and almost crushing her throat with his bare hands. “You incompetent
fool.
You idiotic
waste of space.
You are an incapable, arrogant, inconsiderate and
regretful creature.”
His eyes burned, his muscles strained, but none of it mattered as he wanted nothing more than to see her suffer through and through. “Have you any idea what you have just done? How much work, planning and effort of mine you just undid?!”
She chuckled. “Did… I?” She answered through the force of his hand closing down her windpipe. “How much… More will you… Waste… By killing me, hm?” She didn’t fight against his overpowering strength, she had no need to. “Your little… Girlfriend?” She laughed. “She’ll hate you, not me… Who else is left?” She grinned, lowering her hands. “No one... You’re alone now.”
Zahhak slammed her against the wall multiple times, each time injuring his own knuckles in the process. It wouldn’t bring him back, it wouldn’t undo his rage, it wouldn’t enlighten him to a new plan to undo everything. There was no path to take to put everything in its rightful place from this point onwards. This was not just an unexpected setback, this was hopeless.
“I take it you don’t want to hear his final words, then?” Lua sighed, regaining her breath now that the assault had stopped. She expected at least to be cut down by the very sword she came here with, and couldn’t help but feel disappointed knowing how things turned out.
“...Final words?” Zahhak paused, his eyes softening, if ever so slightly. “Speak.”
“I see no reason to.” Lua answered, crossing her arms. “After all I’ve done for you, I didn’t even get a simple thank you… I think I’ll keep this little detail to myself.” She grabbed him by his collar and pulled him close, playing with the soft fabric while studying his emotional blue eyes. “Unless you repay me what you owe.” Her warm breath tickled his cheek, it disturbed Zahhak, but his desperation made him consider…
“What a considerate offer.” A voice suddenly spoke, and with it an arm appeared behind the door that grabbed Lua by her throat, which she couldn’t avoid as Zahhak still kept her in place before realising what was going on. “...How cruel.” It spoke, before it pushed open the door and a young boy emperor stepped inside. “I enjoy torment much like any other maniac, but hasn’t my dear advisor deserved better than that by now?” Lua glared, gazing into his knowing eyes before Zio hushed her with a single finger against her lips. “It’s not your turn to speak, disobedient servants should stay in their rightful place.”
“...What did you see?” Zahhak asked, pleading, hoping honesty would meet him in this accursed room at last.
Zio patted him on his shoulder, giving him a pitiful look. “It’s been a long night, advisor, I recommend revisiting this topic in the morning.” He caressed his back, and watched as the anger in him reappeared and his fingers tightened around Lua’s throat again. “I’ll promise you this, however, that there’s nothing of value left by keeping this woman alive. You know well that if not me, there is nobody you can trust in this world, don’t you?”
Zahhak looked between him and Lua, images of a friend falling to her hands flashing through his mind, he wasn’t sure if Zio was forcing those on him or if they were a side effect of his own weary heart shattering into a million pieces each new minute that this reality that Ran could no longer be saved dawned on him.
“I want to hear it now.” Zahhak said. “Tell me now, what did he say?” He pleaded, to which Zio shook his head, asking if he was sure he wanted to go through that pain at this late hour. “I won’t ask again.”
“Now, now, is that a way to speak to your ruler?” Zio gently squeezed his hand, smirking at the trapped woman, the other vassal of Aheldad he was mere moments away from usurping. “I jest with you, advisor, I’ll forgive your tone of speech this once.” He recited the spell that made Lua flinch and realise something was going on, something that made her lose the power of the dark star harbored in her body. “Your friend wasn’t even given the luxury of speaking his final words, our Lua here… Forced his mouth shut right as he was about to say them.”
“LIES-” Lua yelled nervously, but it was too late. “DAMN BRAT-”
Zahhak had already made his judgement. He covered her mouth, just like he imagined her doing to Ran, and took away her luxury of speaking just like how Ran’s was taken away from him.
“Good news, is that not something we could all use a little bit of at this late dreaded hour?” Zio spoke, continuing his spell, taking in all the might of the dark star and Aheldad Lua had hidden away. “You’ve served your purpose, be glad! I’ll even organise a grand funeral for you, spiteful woman.” Zio bowed politely before her. “Theranhad is and forever will be grateful for your services and… sacrifice.” He then turned to Zahhak and gave him a reassuring smile, not that it helped too much. “As for you Zahhak, there’s still one path to take, if you’re dedicated to the cause.”
He didn’t even need to ask, or explain, or convince him.
Zahhak carried the expression of a man who was tired of making decisions alone, and bearing the consequences by himself. If Zio had a plan, whatever it may be, whatever the sacrifice or price to pay, he’d be with him every step of the way. That much was certain.
“When I create the world anew, he will be in it.”
Zahhak took a deep breath, unwrapping Lua before he hid his face in his hands. He didn’t care for anything besides that small thread of hope presented to him. He picked up the sword of winter shadow and ran his thumb along the icey metal.
“Yes, your highness.”