Chapter Text
Saps sat now in the cozy cottage on top of the mountains. It’s been a week or so since the end of the war… And his duel with Fluixon in Westhelm’s colosseum. It ached him badly that he had to kill, who he once called his best friend. But some sacrifices are necessary, no? Fluixon would agree to that for sure.
Saparata moved to Yggdrasil 4 days after the war. Simply because he couldn’t look at his holiday house the same after all of that bloodshed, betrayal… It reminded him of his best friend a bit too much - both in a good and a bad way.
His friends, seeing his despair, decided to help him. They asked him about what scenery he likes, how big house he’d like to live in, where he would build it, these types of questions hidden beneath calm small talks.
Soon he was called by Schpood, Cass and Legacy to the Citadel. Then presented to his new house in Yggdrasil’s mountains near The Midnight Tower Haven. He was so thankful and happy he almost cried.
Now he felt great. The fireplace was slightly burning with kind fire. Wind was nicely flowing along the walls of his house. The views from behind the windows were amazing. Time went slow, peaceful and calm… Maybe even a bit too. Well but he didn’t want to bother himself with such things when he was all carefree, drinking his afternoon tea he was given by Madzvie when he left Pandora for his new home.
But it would be too good to be so peaceful. He heard someone knocking on his doors:
“Yes?”
Spyder came in, looking a bit worried and just… off.
“Hi, Saparata. Good to see you.”
“Good to see you too, Spyder.” Saparata answered, slightly concerned by his friend.
“What’s the matter?”
Spyder sighed very deeply before starting to speak:
“Well, I have been sent by the unity of people from Island 1 and 2 as a deliverer of… Some kind. So… There’s going to be a… Pretty controversial event soon… And the people… The people wanted to ask you if you would like to join them…”
Spyder seemed rather nervous fidgeting with the hem of his royal attire.
“All the information is in this scroll… Because… Because I don't have the heart to tell you.”
Spyder handed the scroll over to Saparata.
Then Saps started to read it:
«Grand Hero Saparata!
With all due respect to our most reliable and famous heroine, the Unity of Both Islands (later addressed as UoBI) would like to invite you to an event that we suppose will be very important to you! It’s the Pyre of Traitors [...]»
Saparata stopped reading in an instant. Spyder had his eyes pinned to the ground, as if he was guilty of the content of the scroll. Both of them knew exactly what ‘Pyre of Traitors’ meant… It meant festives over the dead's’ bodies. Mocking them, mocking him in particular for Saparata. Spyder knew what was in there… That's why he didn’t want to say it in Saparata’s face.
“...”
“I will come.”
The expression on Spyder’s was a mix of disbelief, surprise… sorrow and happiness.
Not because he thought Saparata would come to the pyre, but because he genuinely thought that he agreed because he got over him; finally after however long that was since the hero tamed the beast that he once called best friend. But in reality it wasn’t why Saparata agreed to come. There was another reason, hidden deep in Saps’ heart.
“Well then. Thank you for accepting, UoBI sure would be very confused if you.. Didn’t. You have the rest of the info on the lower part of the scroll. I will excuse myself now.”
Spyder slowly left the small comfort zone of the white boy. Leaving him, the scroll and his thoughts all alone.
He read the rest of the scroll, beyond the author's long descriptions connected to the Pyre’s fair and festivities, as well as games and plays that will happen there. At the very end there was the vital information: place, date, details of the pyre, the summary.
The summary: «The festivity of the Pyre is an event of burning dead war criminals’ bodies as a way to showcase people’s hatred towards them and their actions. It has a mocking undertone.»
So Saparata was right. They were hosting it as a way of mocking his once very dear friend and others involved who he didn’t have a chance to meet and get to know. The pyre was a seal, it was sealing the tainted with blood names, forgetting that they too were once written in lemon juice - unseen by anyone who didn’t want to see. Saparata’s eyes darkened… He didn’t want to ridicule anyone, especially not the dead… And him, of course. Saps’ thoughts were always torn apart between grief, mourning, denial and anger, sorrow as well as disbelief, that for once so close friend - betrayal was so easy. He averted his gaze from the scroll, putting it on the coffee table, and walking closer to the huge window. Window that showed the place where it all went down - as for the last duel Saparata ever wanted to be a part of. Even if he didn’t want to partake in the last one as well. Now he had to mentally prepare himself for the Pyre, as well as choose the clothes he’d go in. ‹Something that could be stained with blood?› He wondered, quickly punishing himself for thinking such a terrible thought.