Chapter Text
Chapter 1
After dealing with the traitor inside the mausoleum deep under the Roundtable Hold, Ironeye went looking for Wylder and he found the winged helm warrior in his usual spot in the armory.
"It's over between us," the archer suddenly declared.
Wylder stopped polishing his sword and he glanced up. He did not remove his helmet but Ironeye could tell from his body language that young man was stunned and hurt.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked in a small voice.
"I think you've been distracting me from my duties too often," Ironeye said nonchalantly.
"That's not an excuse to break up with someone..." Wylder muttered, trying to force down his pain. "What's your real reason?"
Ironeye refused to elaborate. He just left Wylder sitting at his spot before silently making his way to his quarters.
When he's alone, Ironeye reflects on the truth about his nature told to him by the traitor-- that he is an Undead and belongs to Those Who Live in Death. Not only that, he was just a puppet used by The Fellowship to take out scions who are no longer useful. And one day, Ironeye believed the same thing will happen to him once the Night is vanquished.
And it's this revelation that he believes that he doesn't deserve Wylder's love.
That night, Ironeye refuses to eat with the other nightfarers in the rundown dining room so he takes his meal to his room. He avoids looking at Wylder during all this.
While inside his quarters, he was sitting on his bed and reading a blood-stained letter from his custodian Isolde. About how she wished she could use the powers of the Night itself so the scions of the Fellowship will have more prey to hunt and not be discarded. Her words sparked an idea in him, but it was something more selfish and not for the benefit of his fellow scions...
... Then a mental image of Wylder's face appeared. Wylder would never support his idea. The warrior from Windwail Knoll wanted nothing more to end the Night to avenge his lost tribe. If Ironeye went through with his plans...
He and Wylder would become enemies.
Ironeye jumped when he heard someone knocking on his door.
"It's me," came Wylder's voice. "Will you let me talk?"
Ironeye wouldn't let Wylder in, so they talk through the door instead.
"Are we still fighting the nightlords together?" Wylder asked.
"Of course," Ironeye replied. "If the priestess of the Hold makes us go on the same expedition, I'm not gonna sulk and drop out just because we're no longer together."
"But you refused to look at me... and you still won't tell me your reasons."
"I'm afraid not."
On the other side of the door, Wylder had removed his winged helmet and he rested his head against Ironeye's door. He tried not to show any weakness, but deep down, he wished the archer would open up to him.
Wylder was already scared of losing his sister when the Roundtable Hold disappears after they bury the primordial Nightlord. He hadn't told anyone about his sister, who was not only Duchess but also the priestess of the Hold. On top of that problem, Wylder is also dying; a secret he purposely kept from the others.
He somehow knew he doesn't have much time left. His vigor was too low and the injuries he sustained in combat against the Night before arriving to the Hold has never healer. His exhaustion and pain were kept constantly reminding but they always disappear whenever he's with his long lost sister and Ironeye.
"Please don't shut me out," he begged to the archer behind the door. Please talk to me, hold me like you used to... I don't want to say goodbye yet...
A brief flashback to when both men first met in the Roundtable Hold. Wylder recalled sizing up to the aloof archer before they head out on their first expedition together. Neither of them knew back then that their fates would became intertwined with each other.
Wylder wanted to tell Ironeye he was dying, but he stopped himself. Wylder gave a heavy sigh and walked away from the door. He has already lost the two people he cared about.
He had silently accepted his fate. The twin horses will never gallop together again, and the lone horse will never run beside the hunter. All he could do was despair in his loneliness to the very end.
Had Wylder waited at least a minute longer, Ironeye would have finally cracked open his door and peeked outside.
Even after breaking his heart to spare him the betrayal and heartache in the future, Ironeye wished he made a better decision.