Work Text:
The halls of the noble palace had long fallen silent. The ballroom was full but nobody was dancing, their bodies laid motionless on the floor. Blood staining the marble tiles with a deep violet. Few had tried to escape into the corridors but they were caught eventually, I wouldn’t let any get away.
It was easy. They couldn’t fight back, they never learned to. They had the privilege of being oblivious to the tragedies of the battle fields. The amount of soldiers I commanded that had faced death under their orders from within their shielded castles. The countless bodies that their power was built from, now theirs were everywhere.
I did a service, but I knew that the others would be coming for me soon. They would not like what I did. They’re not grateful for me cleaning up the filth. I can hear their yelling approaching but they are still too late, the screaming ended a long time ago.
They will find me here soon, but I will not go down easily.
✧✦✧
The air was cold and burned my lungs with each breath I took. I forced my blistered feet to carry me despite walking for days on end without break. Traveling between realms to find some sort of shelter. My legs felt numb to exhaustion and my eyelids were heavy, I wanted so badly to let them fall. Yet I couldn’t risk sleep until I was somewhere safe.
What a pathetic end it would be, falling asleep in the woods to be attacked by some plague creature or worse, not like it could get worse than that. Just thinking about it sent shivers down my spine and made my stomach twist.
Hunger still plagued me. The only food I’ve managed to scavenge were herbs and animals if lucky to catch one. Not like I had much hunting equipment, only a makeshift spear. All my weapons were stripped from me the moment I was thrown out, as well as my uniform. I didn’t go down without a fight though, I was a commander after all, we fight until the end. I knew I was in the right, the nobles had it coming. I couldn’t waste space thinking about them again, I had to focus on my own survival. I only had a few food supplies left before I needed to restock.
At this point the spear I had was used more as a walking stick after the run in with a Scarlet Order camp. I was able to steal some supplies but not without getting injured. I had bandaged my wounds but by now the wrapping had gotten dirty. It was at risk of infection but I already had wasted what little wrapping I had to originally stop the bleeding. I would have to find more or resort to ripping off part of my clothing to cover them up again. If only I could find a river, that would be nice to wash up.
The good part of this realm however was that it seemed abandoned, there was no sign of life so far. While that was bad for hunting, it was good as it was less of a risk of me being attacked. Still I couldn’t let my guard down if I wanted to, anyone could enter this realm as I did.
I continued through the woods, looking around me every few steps until I came to a clearing. There were small buildings and tents, it looked like an old camp. I soon forgot about all my injuries and hunger when I bolted to the camp. Getting too ahead of myself and almost tripping but catching myself with my spear. Holding myself back up I started to make my way into the camp, being quiet in case this place wasn’t actually abandoned.
Unfortunately most of the crates outside were empty, only full of cobwebs. This place was likely already ravaged of everything it was worth by now but I still held onto hope. It was the only thing I had at this point. I made my way into the buildings, they weren’t too big, just seemed like extra storage or a meeting space. Until I spotted something out of the corner of my eye amongst the shelves. It was higher up so I climbed on top of one of the crates to reach it.
I managed to grab it by getting on my tippy toes but that also proved to be a mistake as I fell backwards onto the hard wooden floor, knocking the wind out of my body. I coughed as the dust from my landing flew around me. After that cleared I had sat up and looked at what I just grabbed. It was a half full can of beans, but it was food. Worth it.
I spent my time searching the camp high and low for anything else useful. All else I found was some torn maps, an empty bloxy cola, a banana peel, and some blankets. I wrapped one of the blankets around myself as a cloak, pulling a piece of it over my head to mimic a hood. It felt safer, warmer.
Once sunset had arrived I decided to try to light the old campfire, hitting two rocks together until I had found success. Once the flame grew bigger I had put the beans over it. Even though they were long old by now I would have rather eaten cooked beans over cold ones. After I deemed them cooked enough I took a bite and sure enough they tasted like rotten maggots. Yet I couldn’t complain after not eating for days so I had to suck it up and eat the rest even if I wanted to vomit.
After that awful meal I let the fire die out as I made myself comfortable in one of the buildings. Taking the blankets and equipment from the tents to make what could have resembled a nest. It wasn’t the coziest but considering the ways I had slept in the past weeks, it might as well have been heaven.
And for once I let my eyes drift shut without worry.
✧✦✧
I had woken up while the sky was still dark to noise from outside, footsteps. I immediately became alerted and grabbed my spear with shaking hands. Then I remembered the fire from last night, the smoke.. they had to have found me from that. I should have been more careful but I let my guard down too much thinking this place was abandoned. They were getting closer, this couldn’t be it. There was no way for me to respawn, no going back. If I died here it was permanent, I didn’t want to die. I’m scared.
I needed to run, I had to escape but my feet stayed frozen to the floor. Even as the footsteps approached I found myself still when two tall figures were in view of the doorway. One was dressed in armor with a helmet and the other wore a tragedy mask with a horned crown.
“Stay b-back!” I threatened though my voice cracked as I struggled to hide my fear. Pointing the worn spear I had at them with shaking hands yet I knew there was nothing I could do. Only the armored one seemed to be carrying a weapon but it looked like he could easily overpower me even without it. Yet the masked man was the one to step forward, showing that his hands were empty but I still stepped back, cornered like a small animal.
“Please lower your weapon, Olivia. We are not here to cause harm.” He spoke calmly yet his presence was strong, making me feel even smaller.
“H-How do you know who I am? How did you f-find me?!” My shaking was becoming terrible, I held onto my spear for dear life. To the point I could feel myself getting splinters yet I didn’t loosen my grip. Tears threatened to escape my eyes, it was pathetic, a once commander being reduced to this. Yet I couldn’t help but be terrified for my life. A few teardrops managed to fall onto the wooden floor below.
“News spread fast of what you did to the Scarlet Order’s nobles. Then we heard the recent rumors of you running into one of their camps so we tracked you from there. We’re lucky to find you before anyone else could, we wish to help.” He explained carefully, stopping right when my spear was pointing at his chest. The other man seemed to glare cautiously but the masked man still remained unphased.
“How can I trust you?” I spat, my eyes glancing between the two men and any chance of escape but I knew it was useless deep down.
“If we were really going to hurt you, you would have been dead by now or taken as a prisoner. Yet I don’t see that happening.” The masked man reasoned, his speech not pausing for a second.
He was right but my mind still refused to accept it, this couldn’t be true. “Why would you even care to help me?”
“Why wouldn’t we?” He asked genuinely.
“I am not deserving of such kindness.” I argued yet I knew deep down that wasn’t a real reason, but it felt that it was deserved.
“Then let me show you.” He stepped forward, carefully pushing my spear away, but when I realized my guard had been let down I gripped my spear once more. There was the sound of flesh cutting only to see the end of my spear was only held by the man’s hand, blood trickling down onto the floor.
“My lord!-” The armored man jumped forward in worry but was stopped by the masked man when he signaled for him to stay back.
“Do not worry for me, Norman.” The masked man faced the armored man. “Please, watch guard as I take care of this, and remember there is no need to refer to me in such a manner.”
Norman seemed reluctant but nodded. “As you wish, Robert.” Norman stepped out of the building without further word, keeping post outside.
Robert turned back over to face me, still holding onto the spear and slowly pulling it away until I finally gave up and dropped it. I finally decided to let my guard down as more tears blurred my vision, my body feeling weak once more as the adrenaline started to fade. I didn’t even remember my knees giving out until I saw Robert kneeling over me. His hand was still injured despite the bleeding stopping yet he didn’t seem to worry about his own wounds.
“May I see your injuries.” He offered, taking a medkit out of his inventory.
I still was shaking like a scared bunny but who was I to reject such an offer in the state I was in. So I nodded and carefully showed my wounded leg which the new wrapping already seemed to be falling apart. I flinched at first when he touched the wrapping but forced myself to stay still enough for him to undo it. I swore the wound wasn’t as dirty as it is now then it was yesterday but maybe I was too dismissive of it last time, now only realizing the severity.
He took a cloth and wet it to first clear up the dirt around and on the wound. Taking very gentle care even when switching the medicine which stung, making me wince.
“Don’t worry it is almost done, this is only the nastiness, the others will hurt less.” Robert reassured, applying the medicine with even softer care.
I nodded, even though I thought my eyes had dried by now I could feel tears starting to form again. I tried to wipe them away before they could escape but it was already too late. I haven’t felt kindness like this in a long time, even with my own comrades. I wasn’t sure if I felt this much care at all, ever, while I was in the Scarlet Order. I knew that the faction was heartless nearing the end of my residency. I knew it the moment I slit the first Noble’s throat.
The tears were blurring my vision completely now as I let the years of damage finally take its toll after hiding it for so long. I didn’t even feel the faint stinging anymore when the medicine was being applied to my other wounds. Almost forgetting that Robert was still in the room helping me until I heard the click of the medkit closing. I looked back up to meet the eyes of his tragedy mask, wiping my tears away.
“T-Thank you.” My voice still shook with every word, it felt difficult to speak past the flood of tears that just wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t remember the last time I was able to cry without having to hide it or face the consequences of being ‘weak’.
“You’re welcome, it’s the least we can possibly do.” Robert smiled even if hidden from my view I could tell from his voice. He put the medkit to the side and sat down properly in front of me, holding his hands together in his lap. “You know, I’d be honoured to have you join us. Given your skill, even if you may be weak now, we can help your strength grow once more.”
I tilted my head, biting my tongue so as to not speak before I thought. They did help me but I had to still take it into consideration. They didn’t seem to be from a faction I had known of, or one at all. Yet I knew I would only get the answer if I asked. “Which faction do you two come from?” The word fell heavy in the air for a long moment before the silence was shattered.
“That is still being decided.” Robert simply responded. “Our numbers are few, but we will grow with time. Noli is dissatisfied with the current quantity.
“Noli? I thought that the whole incident was just a myth..” I mumbled but realized I could have possibly overstepped.
Robert shook his head. “Of course the Scarlet Order would work to cover such a thing. They refuse to see the truth of this world in their fantasy of a world long gone before this. The first advent of Noli holds true, traces of his first appearance still stain the land. Yet the second advent has corrupted much more when he returned.”
My voice fell silent despite the rushing thoughts spiraling through my head. I never questioned my beliefs of the old world, not once since I joined the Scarlet Order. We were taught not to question, thinking differently would result in punishment. Looking deeper in my mind I struggled to grasp onto any proof of this world that was promised to us, no promises were as physical as the earth beneath me now.
I could remember the day the factions had first heard of Noli, a god among robloxians. His powers were none like any other, not even seen by the demi-gods. Not even the Void Star was seen before his appearance, the artifact puppeting the body of the mere vessel for something bigger. Though nobody has seen it, rumors of the demi-gods soon arose of them terminating the robloxian. After that the Scarlet Order soon hushed anyone who dared speak of the incident. Even then whispers spread across the ranks of a second advent donning the Void Star.
After that everything fell silent as not another word of Noli was to be spoken. The whole incident being written off as a myth, rumors created out of trouble. No different than the myth of 1x1x1x1 created by Telamon.
Pulling myself out of the past I had realized how silent the room had fallen. It was louder than any cries I had heard on the battlefield, so dense that you could cut it with a knife.
It all came crashing down when Robert’s voice broke through the barrier. “I can see you’re conflicted, it is understandable. It is your decision if you wish to join us, but I won’t hold it to you. You may decline-”
“No-” My voice slipped out before I could stop it.
“No?”
“No..I- I wish to join.” Though my voice shook, I had not regretted the decision. It felt…right.
Afterall I knew in fact I was being hunted down by the other factions, my chances of survival with them would be low. If they had not found me I would surely succumb to my wounds soon, or starvation. Almost as if my body was telling on me, my stomach growled and twisted. I needed real food and I’m pretty sure those old beans from last night did nothing to fix my hunger. Remembering the taste made me want to throw up again.
Robert hummed and I looked back up, he seemed to be shuffling through his inventory before a space sandwich appeared in his hand. A bite was already taken out of it but who was I to complain, especially not after those beans. “Here, I know it’s not much but hopefully it'll hold you over until we get more.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, carefully taking the space sandwich. I watched Robert stand up and go to the doorway, pausing to look back.
“We’ll be waiting for you when you are ready.” He met my eyes, seeing me nod before his figure left sight of the door.
Even if I wished to hurry I had to remind myself to take it easy, just because I was patched up didn’t mean I was back to my old strength. I took my time to finish the sandwich and having real food for once made me feel refreshed. Even if it was considered a common food item, it felt like a rich dinner, or breakfast? Yet as soon as I got up I was soon reminded of my fatigue when my legs almost failed to help me stand. I reached for my spear and felt more balanced as I stood it on the ground. I noticed that the dried blood was still on it and felt remorse, I would still need to apologize to Robert for that.
I made a mental note in the back of my head as I focused on walking. It was easier than before but that didn’t mean it still wasn’t difficult. One step in front of the other, then the next, I started to walk out of the shelter. Shielding my eyes as the sun now gleamed brightly, welcoming a new day. Once my eyes adjusted I looked to see Robert and Norman standing at the edge of the woods, opposite of where I came from.
“Olivia, are you ready to go?” Robert asked.
“Right behind you!” I called out eagerly, practically skipping towards them despite my earlier struggle. Having a new found purpose for my life.