Chapter Text
Xin finds this situation both humorous and, if he’s completely honest, frightening. Here he is facing the strongest Godslayer he’s encountered in generations, a demon if their ever was one. A demon who Xin has apparently anger with his treatment of his truly dear sister, Ashe. It’s quite the picture, a God and a Demon snarling at each other over another God’s welfare.
The Demon facing Xin, Markus, has made it clear in the past week that Xin is not someone he trusts. In Ashe’s presence, Markus has maintained a facade of politeness, knowing better than to attack him directly in her presence. Ashe may not have always trusted Xin, but his aid and protection before and during the war has made her more forgiving of his quirks. Markus is a different story. Now Horaven has drawn Ashe away and Xin and Markus are without a buffer.
They stand on a path in twilight. Flowers quietly sprout around Xin’s feet. He faces Markus on the tree lined path.
“Do you care for her at all?” There is fire in Markus’ eyes, an unspoken threat in his voice.
“Of course,” Xin replies without hesitance. The question is simple. Xin’s voice does not waiver and neither do his eyes. His eyes are half-lidded but are watching the tiefling. Xin’s smirk, however, is weak, barely there. The shadows around the two stretch toward Markus ominously.
Markus’ eyes narrow.
“You call her your sister and yet you used her as a general to raid Xincala. How can you reconcile those extremes?”
Xin tries to hide his discomfort at the reminder of the unfortunate raid.
“I tried to give her what she needed to realize who she really is. The raid may benefitted my cause but, despite its poor execution, it helped Ashe more than it helped me.”
“Placing loose cannons under her command, painting her hands with the blood of innocents, that’s what you call helping her? Sending her against the city her friends had sworn to defend helped her more than it helped you? Somehow, I doubt that. We could have helped her if she thought you would allow it.”
“Don’t you mean if she thought you would allow it?” Xin interrupts. Markus stops, shadows hanging on his features. Xin needles him further.
“You know as well as she does, the glaivesman would have never aided her in her pursuits. Ashe assumed that you would be the same as him: caring, but not enough to be able to support her in this. But that isn’t true at all, is it?”
Xin pauses for effect, watching Markus carefully. Markus tries to shield his emotions with a blank mask. A being less experienced with masks may have been fooled, but Xin is well versed in masks. He can see the conflict underneath, the slight tremor in Markus’ clenched fists, and Xin knows he is right about Markus. Xin’s words strike too close for Markus’ comfort. Xin’s smirk gains strength while his eyes remain locked on the Demon. Xin begins his final blow.
“You love her.”
Markus’ mask slips slightly, but he does not respond. Anger and fear flash across Markus’ face. The shadows begin to pool around his feet. Xin continues.
“You would have helped Ashe in the raid even if all those guards had to die. You wouldn’t have liked it, but you would have done it. If she had asked you to fight, to go against your moral code and kill for her, you would do it. It’s funny, isn’t it? A demon willing to sin for a God. One willing to fight an old God like myself to defend his God and her wishes. Don’t worry, Devil, I mean your Aesling no harm. I care for her as much as you do, though my care is more familial than yours.
“Ashe came to me looking to discover who she is. I told her what I could, but one cannot simply be told who they are to a tee. The details, about who she is and what she wants to be, Ashe had to discover for herself. I provided the testing grounds for her to find the answers she needed. Ashe had to test herself to find where he loyalties lie. But you know that, don’t you? That’s part of what your afraid of. You’re quite terrified, aren’t you, Devil?”
Markus snaps. Tendrils of shadow thrash about him as hopeless fury conquers his expression. Markus snarls out his response.
“Yes, I’m terrified. I have fought for every speck of trust I have from Ashe. I have fought to be by her side, even if she doesn’t need me there. Then you show up. You send her to battle, and I learn she thinks so little of my loyalty that Ashe expects me to stop her rightful crusade. Of course, being Ashe, she manages to complete the mission without my help. I help in the aftermath, to keep her out of the clans’ sights, but Ashe hardly needs me to do that. She hardly needs me by her side. Ashe doesn’t think to ask for me by her side. Before all of this, before you, maybe she would have asked. I’ve lost everything I had with her and I can’t even be entirely mad about it. You are a bastard who risked Ashe needlessly, but you’re right when you say it helped her. I can hardly believe it, but its true.
Xin, you’ve taken what little I had of Ashe away. You call her my God. Ha! I am her Demon, devoted, but I own nothing of her. Understand, however, if you hurt Ashe, I will kill you.”
The world around them is cold and dark as Markus’ shadows build. Xin hides a shiver.
“I don’t think my sister needs requires your protection, Demon.”
“That doesn’t mean she doesn’t have it. Watch yourself.”
A yell rings through the air.
“That’s some big talk, Spaghetti Man! Let’s go!”
Horaven comes sailing through the air, swords swinging down at Markus from above. Markus’ shadows solidify, catching Horaven midair and tugging his blades from his grasp effortlessly. The shadows tighten, leaving Horaven no room to struggle.
The pooled darkness lifts Markus to hang menacingly in front Horaven’s helpless form. Markus’ eyes are cold fire, deadly and detached.
“This is not the time to challenge me. I remember your role in these affairs, Horaven the hero,” Markus warns lowly. The sound carries through the silent clearing. Then the silence is shattered.
“Markus!” Ashe shouts through the dark.