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Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he loved the curiosity in his wandering eyes, as he looked at the unfamiliar landscape around him, his face excited like a child's, when they first met on the shore.
A single glance was exchanged, a mere greeting, before the sound of the tide and the squawking of seagulls were silenced by the animated conversation in which Saps and Flux became engrossed
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he liked the spirit with which he mined in that cave, he loved the hummed melodies that fell from his lips as he obtained minerals, Thomas loved the way Saps could barely hold nine diamonds in his hands to show Ish, while his face was lit up with a smile as dazzling as those gems.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he hated the feeling of losing sight of him and the way that whitish figure vanished between the sand and the sky, saying goodbye with the excuse of traveling and visiting other nations.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he enjoyed the stern tone with which Saps mediated the meeting between the leaders of Island Two. He had a neutral expression, but under the eyes of any observer it was easy to notice his nervousness. His hands rested on the long table made of jungle wood slabs with a firm and casual grip, but his almond-shaped nails dug into his pale skin every time the argument between the leaders intensified.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he didn't dislike the sound of his laughter at the dumb jokes they made while gathering sand on the beach for the construction of the meeting hall he was so excited to build for future meetings that would require his presence as a mediator.
The way Saps talked about the future, carefree, oblivious to the terrible plans The Conspiracy had for him, almost made Thomas feel bad, but he swallowed that feeling and all the others that had to do with Saparata.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he detested that foreign feeling in his chest as he built the dripstone traps inside the ceiling of the meeting hall that Saparata had enthusiastically built with the help of his friends.
Imagining Saparata's scared and disappointed face if he found out about the plan that The Conspiracy had planned just for him caused him overwhelming sorrow.
He felt nauseous knowing that feeling was remorse.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he imagined him, during those moments of the leaders' meeting.
Sitting in his respective seat in The Conspiracy's underground bunker, the engineer was deep in thought, imagining that mediator sitting at the head of the long table in the meeting room he himself had helped build. Wearing the white robes he had shown them beforehand, his long hair, usually loose, elegantly tied back with golden brooches.
A saint, Thomas thought as he imagined Saparata.
And then he thought of the trap and the terrible image of ten leaders and representatives from across the island, bodies slumped on the table and their seats, pierced by stalactites. No one would survive.
Except for the obvious culprit, the fallen saint, the sacrificial lamb with red-stained robes and horror in his gaze.
The betrayal would not be in vain; a future of prosperity would come to Pandora if the plan was executed perfectly.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he dreamed about him during the nights of those uncertain days after the trap meeting when Island Two was in shambles and the whereabouts of the alleged culprit were unknown.
In those terrible nightmares, the protagonist was always a white figure lost in the thicket of unexplored mangrove swamps. Looking around for dangers with terror etched on his face, sadness in his being, and his soul in pieces.
The scenarios always followed the same plot: that figure wandered in an unknown place and soon met his unfortunate death. Sometimes he was killed right there, other times he was captured and taken to be executed, and on a few occasions, he had taken his own life, the last one was the one that frightened Thomas the most.
Those black, lifeless eyes, and parted lips trying to ask "Why Thomas? Why?" but dying in the attempt, were the last thing he saw in his dreams, before waking up drenched in sweat and with his heart pounding as if it were about to explode.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he reveled in the sharp look he gave him, at him and him alone, while blatant lies poured from his mouth at the trial.
There was no need to lie so much; the judge had been successfully bribed and the outcome of the trial had been decided with a fair amount of diamonds. But Saparata's expression was worth it all. For the first time, he saw only him, Saparata only had eyes for Thomas.
Dirty clothes, messy white silk hair, a pair of furrowed eyebrows, a narrow line formed by his lips, and a fiery gaze. A work of art in Thomas's eyes.
“The people who I thought I could trust the most used me (...)”
What was that inside his chest?
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But his heart was beating like never before as he watched Saparata escape execution.
Seeing him free, jumping like a terrified white dove with broken wings while the people of the Commonwealth chased him with weapons in hand and the intention to kill him, made his heart leap in an unexpected way.
He was so close to him in his escape his sword reached him as they both fell into the water, but still the fugitive fled once more, disappearing over the horizon in a boat and carrying a wound that the engineer of The Conspiracy was proud to have inflicted.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he abhorred the rumors he heard about the fugitive during his stay on the other Island.
From his close associates, he had learned of the surprising good fortune that had befallen the fugitive in Yggdrasil. Apparently, the leader of The Covenant, a militaristic nation and the most dangerous on Island One, offered refuge to the former mediator, and in his mission to meet and convince the other leaders of the island to join his cause, said leader never left his side. He protected him from anyone who wanted to kill him to obtain the bounty on his head;
Those who believed themselves to be brave met their end at the sword of Turntapp.
However, the leader of The Covenant was not the only one who had been captivated by Saparata.
The emperor of Westhelm had invited the fugitive to his empire, and from what he had been told, Schpood and Saparata had gotten along quite well.
Schpood personally gave him a tour of Westhelm; they went to The French Kiss, the most famous restaurant in the empire, and an Island One Band concert specially requested by the emperor and watched together a great duel in the Colosseum. And as if that weren't enough, he was also provided with lodging and 24/7 protection by the emperor's best men.
Fluixon was not happy at all; he did nothing but mutter to himself, make more plans and give orders to the other members of The Conspiracy all day long.
And Thomas didn't know how to feel.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he wondered if his heart beat with the same intensity as his, if that same adrenaline rush ran through his veins when he fled.
He now found himself in the same situation Saps had faced: with an angry mob seeking revenge for the death of their loved ones and comrades, and the need to flee to Island One.
The Conspiracy had lost two members, two friends and colleagues. The journey was long, and silence was the temporary way to mourn the fallen for the time being.
Sailing across the sea on their way to Yggdrasil, Thomas looked at the sky, now purple and orange, and wondered if that was the same sunset Saps had seen.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But he thought about him during his stay in Infernus.
It was a short and hectic stay. Fluixon and Cynnika had many plans in mind for the inevitable battle that would take place in the volcano.
He, Gotoga, and Snowbird were in charge of setting traps throughout the castle. There was no time to rest.
And yet, his mind kept returning to Saparata.
From the top of the Ashen Bastion, there was a good view of Island One, especially of Westhelm, since the two nations were not so far apart.
The lights of Westhelm shone cautiously in the night. They too were preparing.
His gaze traveled across the empire, searching for Separata, hoping to see him once last time before they came face to face in war. But he couldn't find him.
And the long-awaited war began.
There was blood shed from all factions.
There would never be an outright winner.
More of his friends died.
Gotoga was doomed to fall
Snowbird334 was doomed to fall
He barely managed to escape with his life.
On the way to the secret bunker, Fluixon suddenly stopped.
"I need to go to the Colosseum" he said, changing his course and heading in the opposite direction, towards Westhelm. And Thomas knew what was about to happen
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
But his eyes never strayed from the way he fought Fluixon.
His movements were graceful and flawless, worthy of an experienced fighter— where had he learned to fight like that?
His attacks were calculated, he never hesitated, his hand never trembled when placing the lava bucket, he covered himself with a flagless shield at the exact moment.
Saparata showed no mercy and didn't stop until his axe struck the final blow against Flux, who never had a chance of winning.
Fluixon was slain by Saparata
Saparata stared at the body on the Colosseum floor, expressionless, indifferent to the celebratory shouts of the Conquesodors who had accompanied him and watched the duel.
But Thomas noticed the wear on the grip of the diamond axe stained with the blood of his friend and the tears that were beginning to form in those black eyes, once full of life and excitement for living.
So Thomas escaped
The secret bunker of The Conspiracy was empty for the first time.
Only The Engineer remained, along with the already rotting head of Luminara's first leader on the table.
Looking into the judgmental eyes of 3BelowZero, Thomas remembered.
The coast, the morning spent collecting sand, the afternoon spent building the courthouse, the jokes, the chats, the shared stew that Saps made for them for helping him build.
That short period that was now a distant, unattainable memory.
Five empty seats, once occupied by members of The Conspiracy, that organization whose sole purpose was to bring unity to Island Two by any means necessary.
But was it worth it? Had all this been worth losing his friends? was it worth losing Saps?
He turned himself in that same day, and his trial was held as soon as possible at The Conquesodors.
Thomas didn’t love Saparata
There was a relief in his shoulders upon seeing him again, but pain in his chest when he noticed the look he gave him, a broken, distant look, its sparkle lost during the events he had suffered.
The trial began.
Through the bars of his small cell, he never stopped staring at Saps. His clothes were simple, loose and white, they no longer made him resemble a saint, much less a fallen one. He looked more like a survivor, a warrior even a hero.
It was a chaotic trial, but the outcome was predictable. He was found guilty of all charges, and Saparata was found innocent of all crimes and accusations, as it should have been from the beginning.
He was escorted to a stage, with dried blood stains on the pink floor (the same pink as the cherry leaves that fell on Saps's hair at that first meeting with the leaders of the Island Two) and placed inside a mechanism. The audience shouted, cheering and chanting for his execution, and Saps was at his side, but he avoided his gaze.
“Ladies and gentlemen we stand here for the final judgment for Thomas due to him by betraying the trust of both Island One and Island Two and conspiring against all of us. He must die” Turkey, one of the captains of the Conquesodors, declared
A stalactite fell on him, but it didn't kill him and the pain and perforation in his head disappeared in a second.
Neither did the second or third ended his life
Thomas didn't love Saparata.
However, he stopped eating golden apples so that the stalactite that Saps placed there would kill him this time.
He gave the privilege of his death to no one, but Saparata, and it felt somehow comforting.
Their eyes met one last time, before the pointed stone pierced his skull and the world went black.
Thomas didn't love Saparata.
But he longed to see him again. He prayed in his final moments that he and Saparata would meet again in a different situation, without traps, betrayals, or unnecessary deaths.
He asked that next time, they wouldn't have to fight on opposite sides and see his friends die again.