[FIC] Of Age - chapter 7, part 5
Despite fate’s best attempts to thwart me (with a car accident and subsequent injuries), I managed to get this next section done. It just goes to show how much I love you all! ^_^
I have to be honest - I’m not happy with this part, not at all. I ran it through a few people who said they liked it, but I still am not satisfied with it. But all the same, I’m not quite sure how to make it better and I don’t want to hold up the story any further (and I did leave off on a horribly mean cliffhanger before...), so I’m just putting it out there. Rest assured, the next parts are pretty good (I think), so please give me the benefit of the doubt. From here on, the story gets way better, I promise! ^_^
Title: Of Age
Author: lenainverse
Rating: Hard R (lime and violence/dark scenes)
Pairing: Yuri/Wolfram; hinted Gwendal/Günter and Conrad/Josak
Genre: Drama/Romance
Chapter: 7/12 (fifth part of Chapter 7)
Summary: Demon Law states that on one’s sixteenth birthday, he has to decide what to do with his life. With Yuuri’s birthday just three weeks away, he finds himself filled with uncertainty about which world to call his home.
Comments: Spoilers through 65.
Previous chapters are here:
Chapters 1-6
Chapter 7 - Part 1
Chapter 7 - Part 2
Chapter 7 - Part 3
Chapter 7 - Part 4
Note: This is a retelling of the events that you didn’t get to see in the last section, so you can see what’s going on Yuri, Günter, and Murata while Conrad was freeing Wolfram (in the last part I posted). I just wanted to mention this in case anyone was confused as to why I went back in time a bit here. ^_^ Enjoy!
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For the first time in a very long time, Murata was seriously considering abandoning his duty. As he watched Yuri release his magic in a flood of light and with a cry of anguish, he wanted nothing more than to rush over and throw himself between Yuri and Tyrfing. Murata’s position at the edge of the room - hiding behind one of the huge columns with Alessandra - made him feel completely helpless.
He doubled over as pain stabbed through him, sudden but fierce, and he stifled his gasp so as not to give away his position. He threw his back against the thick column he was hiding behind, closing his eyes for a moment to steady himself. He felt the power behind the shattering windows before he heard the sound, and hoped that he was far enough away so as not to be struck by the falling glass.
“What’s happening?” the Duchess whispered to him anxiously. Murata could feel her trembling where he had a hold of her wrist, but it seemed that she had stopped resisting for now.
He shook his head at her question, not trusting himself to open his mouth to respond. He had been expecting some sort of pain if Yuri’s magic was released; he had instantly realized that he could feel the effects of the Esoteric Magic through his connection to Yuri…more specifically, the resonance of Yuri’s magic. But this was far more intense than he had anticipated - it felt as if his body was being torn apart. Of course, he was far more concerned with the fact that, with Yuri’s magic released, it was only a matter of time before Tyrfing’s power was, as well.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Murata stood as straight as possible and peered around the column, towards where the guards were still standing. They had moved further back when the windows burst inwards, probably more due to shock than for fear of being cut. A quick glance across the room showed him why he had felt such anguish emanating from Yuri; Wolfram was in very poor condition. Murata wished that he could have gone to Yuri’s side or to help free Wolfram, but he knew that he was supposed to be exactly where he was.
Unfortunately, that was all he knew. The vertiginous effects of the human magic were effecting his senses - his intuition provided him only with a confusing mass of images and feelings; a far cry from the almost-premonitions he was used to. All he had to guide him was a gut feeling and a flash of barely-there perception, as if following a flicker of light that vanished when he tried to look at it directly.
Consequently, he had no idea why Alessandra was supposed to be with him, he only knew that she needed to be here, and that he had needed to bring her. So when Conrart had left them back in the waiting room, Murata had pulled her to her feet and, ignoring the Duchess’ whimpers of protest, dragged her into the throne room after him. He hadn’t intended to force her, but her confusion and uncertainty had been growing steadily, and he feared that she would not have had the courage to act on her own. She had fought at first, scratching and clawing at his arm, but had calmed when she saw that Murata was keeping them hidden from her brother’s view. All considered, her ambivalence probably worked in Murata's favor - had she wanted to, Alessandra probably could have fought him off. The fact that she had not done so sent Murata a very clear message.
Murata’s fists clenched as he saw Conrart pull away from where Yuri had knelt on the floor and dash off towards where Wolfram was lying. Alessandra gasped as Murata’s hold on her arm tightened, trying again to shake off his grip. He held her fast, not taking his eyes off of Yuri, trying to focus over the pain as the scene continued to unfold before him and waiting for some clearer intuition, a signal of what he should do next.
Another movement caught Murata’s eye - Gwendal was following Conrart towards Wolfram. Murata found that he couldn't blame Gwendal for his choice, even if some part of Murata’s mind wanted to scream at the man to stay with Yuri. It wasn’t easy for the two brothers to leave their King, but they were only following their hearts.
Günter stood, pointing his sword toward Aldrich, and then there was a blur of movement, and he was gone. Murata’s eyes were barely able to follow Günter as he shot toward Aldrich with his cape billowing behind him, and his blade clashed with Tyrfing. Günter would not be able to keep up that energy level for long, not with the human magic so thick in the room. He was staking his bet on being able to defeat Aldrich quickly.
Günter was not fairing as well after those first few strikes. Even a novice like Murata could see that his movements were slower, his strikes less powerful. Had it not been for the Esoteric magic, Günter would have had Aldrich beaten five times over...but with the magic, he was losing ground.
Aldrich was not as talented a swordsman as Günter, but he was good enough to see an opening when it presented itself. It came in the form of a lunging attack from Günter, his stamina obviously dwindling. Aldrich struck back, sending Günter's sword flying from his fingers and clattering across the marble floor. Günter stumbled as he was pushed off balance, and Aldrich responded with a swift, hard knee into Günter's stomach. Günter collapsed to the floor, his already weakened body unable to cope with the hit as it normally would.
Yuri's reaction was instant. Seeing his friend and advisor in danger was enough to send a wall of magic lashing out toward Aldrich...an instinctive response that had saved countless lives in the past. Murata gasped, aloud this time, falling against the column for support and loosening his grip on Alessandra's arm as searing pain sliced through his body. The Duchess’ arm slipped out of his grasp and she darted away, but as Murata's vision refocused, he couldn't bring himself to care.
Yuri had released his magic. Whatever needed to happen in order for Murata to save Yuri, it had to happen now. But in the face of the agony caused by the contradicting forces of magic, Murata couldn’t focus on what his intuition was saying, what it was telling him to do.
Aldrich had seen the brilliant blue light of Yuri's magic bearing down on him, and blocked it with the flat of Tyrfing's blade. The magic struck, the brief flash of light nearly as intense as the deafening sound of the two forces colliding. Aldrich's arms shook with the effort of holding the blade, and he barely kept his balance as he was forced backwards from the strength of Yuri's power. Yuri walked slowly toward Aldrich, his head bowed, his magic flowing into Tyrfing in a steady stream.
If Yuri noticed that Tyrfing was beginning to glow more brightly, he gave no sign. Murata tried to shout, to bring Yuri to his senses, but he couldn't take in enough breath. He reached a hand out, trying to will his legs into motion, but another wave of burning pain crashed through him, sending him falling against the column with a silent scream on his lips.
Yuri's voice filled the air, strong enough to be easily heard over the roar of his magic. "It is not in my nature to kill, but your disregard for life deems you unworthy to possess it yourself." Yuri's head snapped up, his eyes filled with grief and determination and rage. "I pronounce justice!" He brought his hand out before him, his palm facing the man who had caused such harm to his loved ones, his narrowed eyes darkened with the desire for vengeance.
Murata expected another flash of magic but…suddenly the flow of magic stopped and Yuri crumpled, hunching over as his hand flew to his chest. Murata gulped for breath as the pain ebbed slightly, just enough that he thought he might be able to act. He tensed, meaning to run toward Yuri...but he felt a mental twinge as he started forward, telling him that his part was not yet done. He shook his head hard, trying to imagine what could be so important as to keep him here...
Humorless laughter filled the air, and Murata looked quickly to Aldrich, who was holding his glowing blade aloft. Surprisingly, the smile quickly fell from his face.
"Justice, you say? Then let it be done. Pay for your sins, Demon!" He brought Tyrfing down in a bright arc, releasing a bolt of concentrated power and sending it arching towards Yuri.
The image of Tyrfing's magic streaking towards Yuri spurred Murata into action, scaring him enough that he ignored the uncertainty that flashed in his mind. Duty and consequences be damned; he couldn’t stand here and do nothing based solely on a muddled, abstract feeling. Murata started forward, the agonizing physical pain coursing through him trivial compared with the icy fear that wrapped around his heart…
There was a blur of movement, and the magic connected with a solid form before it made its way to Yuri, the collision causing a brief gale of wind. Yuri snapped his head up in shock, his eyes widening as he watched the magic slam into the person who stood before him, trying to cry out but unable to make a sound.
Günter was sent flying from the force of the magic, his body crashing into one of the thick columns and going limp at the impact. Yuri stared at Günter in abject terror, his chest heaving with the effort of drawing breath. Before Günter had even hit the floor, Aldrich was grinning again as he advanced on Yuri, Tyrfing’s flames glowing with power.
A scream split the air as Günter fell to the floor, unconscious. Aldrich stopped mid-stride, the blood draining from his face and his smile instantly gone, all thoughts of attacking Yuri momentarily forgotten. Murata had no doubt that Aldrich recognized the voice, for he had intimate knowledge of the pitch and timbre of that scream. He had probably heard it countless times; he had probably reveled in being able to induce it at his will. Aldrich turned his head slowly toward the source of the sound, his eyes wide with disbelief.
It seemed that he had not expected to hear, of all things, his sister’s scream.
Murata hurriedly stepped back to hide behind the column, but it was unnecessary; Aldrich’s eyes were solely focused on the cloaked form of his sister.
“Guards,” he barked, his fists clenching Tyrfing so tightly that they shook. In an instant, the guards had seized Alessandra and yanked the hood back from her face, some of them gasping in shock at finding the Duchess underneath that heavy cloak. Alessandra’s face was frozen in terror as her face was revealed to her twin, and her chin began to visibly tremble as Aldrich glared at her with eyes narrowed in fury.
“Alessandra!” yelled a tight voice from above. “What is the meaning of this?” Murata looked up toward the balcony he hadn’t even noticed before, and saw a dark-haired, bearded man leaning over the side. He was dressed in commoner’s clothes, but something about his reaction instantly told Murata that the man was Duke Kellen of Herzogtum, Alessandra’s husband.
“Silence!” Aldrich growled at Kellen, not taking his gaze off of his sister. “This does not concern you.”
“The Hell it doesn’t!” Kellen shouted. “She has betrayed us!”
Aldrich didn’t reply, but something flashed in his eyes. “Let her go,” he ordered, addressing the guards. “Come here,” he added, his voice quiet yet forceful and accompanied by a gesture toward his sister.
As the guards released Alessandra and she began to walk slowly toward her brother, Murata felt something rush through his mind: a feeling of urgency, a request without words. Then he felt the pulsing of Yuri’s magic, and although the power brought with it a nearly overwhelming pain, suddenly everything was clear to him. Yuri needed his help - just like Murata had done for the Original King so long ago. He had no idea how Yuri knew how to use that connection, but he did, somehow. There was no time to reflect on it, everything was happening too quickly. It had to be now, while Aldrich was distracted.
Murata reached deep inside himself for the power he could only call to aid the Demon King. The pain soared to a new level as he touched his own magic, forcing him to bite his lip to keep from crying out. Murata kept careful watch over Alessandra as she walked timidly toward her brother, trying to gauge how much time he had before he needed to act.
Kellen came rushing out of one of the entrances on the main level and ran towards his wife, but the guards intercepted him before he could get farther than the periphery of the room. Aldrich’s gaze flickered briefly over his sister’s shoulder as she came within his reach, giving the Duke a superior, disdainful glare.
His magic answered Murata’s call, but the response was sluggish, forced. He pulled it towards the surface, fighting the pain and resistance, every push equal parts victory and torment. It was dangerous, so dangerous what they were doing - the connection was new, and they had no experience using it. Murata’ magic was no meant to be used in this way. But he would have only one chance, and he could not afford to waste it.
Murata didn’t hear most of what the Duke was yelling, but it was evident from his tone that he was furious. Words like “traitorous wench” and “harshest penalty” flew from his lips, but Murata paid them little mind, focused as he was on Aldrich. He continued to gather the power even as the wrenching pain tore at him, the feeling made even more excruciating by the knowledge that Yuri was feeling it along with him.
Dark spots appeared along the edges of his vision, but Murata kept his eyes wide open, staring unblinking at where Aldrich was standing, Alessandra obediently beside him. She shook violently as she stared miserably at the marble floor, biting at her bottom lip, but Aldrich reached down to cup her chin with his free hand, and forced her gaze to meet his. The Duke was making muffled noises; likely he had been gagged by the guards. Aldrich ignored him completely.
“You have betrayed your country,” Aldrich told her, his voice soft but commanding, “and you have betrayed your husband. But you would never betray me.” It wasn’t phrased as a question, but Alessandra shook her head slightly, as if emphasizing her compliance.
Murata gritted his teeth as the power fought against his control, threatening to slip through his grasp. He felt Yuri with him, helping him, and that let him rein it in just enough - how Yuri’s “other self” managed to do this with no training, he had no idea, but it wasn’t important now. Just another few moments and he could let go, and the pain would be gone…
Aldrich looked at his sister with a barely restrained hunger. “You live to serve me, and that is why you have brought them for me.”
Despite the wetness in her eyes, Alessandra answered without letting any tears fall. “Yes,” she told him, her frightened whimper causing her brother to smile.
“And now,” Aldrich continued, pulling her face near to his, “you will prove your allegiance.” He removed his hand from her face, but Alessandra dared not move, not even as Aldrich pulled out a long, curved blade, one of three from his belt, and held it before her, the cool steel nearly brushing against her cheek.
A wave of fury flowed over Murata, but the emotion was not his. The magic swelled with Yuri’s anger and a flood of agony consumed Murata, making him fight to maintain a hold on the magic. Yuri was relying completely on instinct, but along with that came such powerful feelings - he had to control them, or the magic would slip through their grasp…
Aldrich pressed the handle of the knife into his sister’s hand. “Cut him,” he ordered, indicating Yuri with a wave of his hand. “Slice his throat open, and then watch as I destroy him. And then, after your penance,” he paused, presumably to emphasize the pleasure he would take in executing the punishment, “you may be forgiven.”
It didn’t seem strange to Murata that Alessandra calmed after hearing those words. He wasn’t surprised when she took the knife from her brother, gripping it as if it were her very hope for salvation. He had expected, once she turned to advance on where Yuri was standing in a hunched posture, that her eyes and face and demeanor would be changed.
But Yuri hadn’t. The instant he saw her, walking slowly toward him with the blade in her fist, the look in her eyes impassive and indifferent, something within him ruptured - not in anger, but in despair. Murata could feel Yuri’s fear…the fear that, if Aldrich could do this to Alessandra, could deplete her entire spirit and reduce her to this with just a few words…then what had he done to Wolfram? Was the expressionless stare they’d seen earlier all that was left of him?
Murata tensed, both from his fear for Yuri’s life and from the nearly crushing pain of the magic. The pain was unbearable now, the power so raw and wild that Murata was shocked that Yuri managed to hold it back. Even as Alessandra raised the knife, her dead eyes staring through him, Yuri stood his ground, holding the magic inside him even as Murata desperately wished he would let it out to finish what they had started.
“Please,” Yuri whispered, his eyes meeting Alessandra’s inanimate ones, “don’t make me hurt you. I have to get to Wolfram.”
Alessandra’s head lowered, her bangs shielding her eyes as she shook her head slowly. Her jaw and fists clenched as the knife was raised above her head. Yuri restrained the power inside him, never faltering, his trust never wavering.
Murata prepared to give a mental push that would hopefully be enough to loose the magic, even without Yuri’s help. It wouldn’t work nearly as well now that the focus was divided, but it was all he could do. But Yuri resisted, as if he somehow knew that Alessandra would never be able to hurt him. But as Alessandra moved, driving the knife downward, Murata wondered how he could be so sure…
Alessandra’s grip loosened and she sent the knife skittering across the floor. Her gaze rose to look at Yuri, her eyes filled with apology. Not for what she had nearly done, but for what she was about to do.
She had decided, finally. And the turned to her brother, her expression placid in spite of the snarl of rage Aldrich let escape him.
“Traitorous wench,” he growled, raising Tyrfing toward his sister. “Then you will serve your country by spilling your blood, like the demon you are.”
“So it would seem,” she replied softly. Although she was unable to look at her twin directly, her voice was as calm as Murata had ever heard it. Aldrich’s eyes narrowed, as if Alessandra agreeing with him were more defiant than her refusal to obey him.
Aldrich gritted his teeth and his arms shook, whether from fury or otherwise Murata couldn’t guess. The blade inclined forward, toward Alessandra, but then retracted. She didn’t move, except to wince as she awaited her brother’s judgment.
Through the chaos and noise caused by the agony in his head, Murata heard the command as clearly as if Yuri had physically spoken. It was time.
There was a split second of hesitation as Murata made certain of his intentions. But he found his clarity and gave one final adjustment before letting go - releasing the magic would be very draining, he knew from the past. But if he channeled the magic through him instead of Yuri, using their connection, he might be able to prevent Yuri from being left helpless. But he would have to be a bit reckless.
There was a surge of light as Murata released the power he and Yuri had built, his strength rushing from his as the pain receded. But as it did, it left a hollowness that made him stumble and fall, depleted of energy. He struggled against the blackness seeping into his mind, barely managing to keep his eyes open. Yuri let out a cry and nearly fell to his knees, but Murata knew by the pulsing of the resonating magic that his gamble had paid off. He knew that, once Yuri found out what Murata had done, Yuri wouldn’t approve of Murata draining himself like this. But Yuri could still move, still defend himself. It had been worth the risk.
The magic streaked along the floor, splintering the marble, sending shards flying in all directions and leaving a chasm behind it. The room shook violently as the magic crossed the room in a split second, making its way to the floor beneath Aldrich’s feet. Aldrich stumbled as the ground exploded beneath him, sending him falling backwards, his hands instinctively rising to shield his face. In the same instant, a second, smaller, tendril of magic struck Aldrich’s right hand, the hand that held Tyrfing. Aldrich let out an abbreviated cry as his grip failed and the sword was tossed away from him, landing with a clatter a short distance away.
Murata’s vision slipped out of focus, but he caught a vague impression of Yuri lunging to claim Tyrfing from where it had fallen. With a cry of outrage, Aldrich scrambled to retrieve his sword, but he was further from it than Yuri. Yuri managed to grab the sword and stood, turning to face Aldrich with an expression that seemed equal parts hostility and relief.
Upon seeing his sword in the Demon King’s hands, Aldrich did the only thing he could. He leapt to his feet and, with one had, pulled another of the curved knives from his belt. With the other, he grabbed Alessandra by the arm, and whirled her around, twisting her arm behind her back and pulling her against him. He brought the knife to rest against her throat and glared at Yuri over his sister’s shoulder.
Murata could only watch as Yuri gave Aldrich a dangerous scowl. “Let her go. You’ve no hope of victory.”
Aldrich smirked, giving Yuri a smug look, and Murata knew that he’d managed to regain the upper hand yet again; he always found a way to turn Yuri’s goodness against him. “I will have my blade, or I will have her life,” he told Yuri, seeming certain that Yuri would, faced with those options, willingly give Aldrich back his sword.
“You will have neither,” Yuri promised, “but if you release your sister and my fiancé, I will show you mercy.”
“Mercy!” Aldrich snorted derisively, his eyes lit with a strange anticipation. “The words of a weakling. If you only knew how he had suffered, I wonder…would you be so quick to offer it?”
Yuri advanced on Aldrich with a few small steps, his jaw clenching in anger as Aldrich grinned in satisfaction. Alessandra gasped as the knife pressed against the skin of her neck, hard enough to draw a thin line of blood. She stared at Yuri in shock, but Murata couldn’t tell if she was asking Yuri to help her or to leave her.
A rattling sound at the far end of the room drew Murata’s attention, and he let his head loll to the side to see what was happening. Conrart was dropping the chains that had bound his brother out one of the openings where a window had once been. Murata’s head cleared slightly with the knowledge that Conrart had freed Wolfram and would be coming to help Yuri. Against Conrart, Aldrich would have no choice but to surrender…if Conrart decided to spare him.
Aldrich was chuckling as he saw how his words were affecting Yuri. “I must say, you have exquisite taste. He was a true pleasure to break. And such a voice! I so rarely have heard a tone so lovely. His begging was sweeter than any I can recall.”
Yuri had his head bowed now, and Murata thought he saw a tear rolling down his cheek. The hand that held Tyrfing was nearly white from the tightness of his grip. Murata wanted to cry out to Yuri and tell him that Aldrich was trying to enrage him, to provoke him to attack blindly in a fit of grief, but he couldn’t find his voice.
“Oh, fear not, Demon King,” Aldrich crooned, “I made quite sure that all of his scars are on the inside.”
Until that moment, Yuri had always acted in the name of what he called ‘justice.’ He trusted that ideal unquestionably, and everything he had done was based upon his belief in the goodness of people. But in that moment, hearing those words, something inside Yuri snapped. Murata could feel the uncontrolled, seething rage that overwhelmed everything else that made Yuri who he was. In that moment, when Yuri lunged forward, he had only one wish - Aldrich’s blood on his hands.
Then, everything happened at once. Conrart turned and instantly began to rush toward Yuri. Yuri leapt forward, his pain and fury unable to be contained any longer. And Aldrich shoved his sister aside, moving to meet Yuri’s attack with a frightening smile.
Even through the disorientation and blackness that invaded his vision, Murata could tell that Conrart was not going to get to Yuri in time. He tried to move, to focus over the lightheadedness, but his useless limbs remained stubbornly immobile. He could only watch in horror as Aldrich raised his long knife and thrust it in a downward arc, the blade flashing ominously, leaving Yuri with no choice but to raise Tyrfing in a desperate defense.
The room went suddenly silent as the attack hit, but for the resounding and distinctive sound of a blade rending apart flesh and bone.
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Notes: First of all, I hope you enjoyed the evil cliffhanger! I simply couldn’t resist leaving this section off that way, because we’ve already established that I am evil. As far as when the next part will be posted…well, I guess that depends on how much you all want to know what happens! *smirk*
Again, I feel I must apologize for this section - it’s not nearly where I would have wanted it to be as far as emotional impact, but when I added more emotion it got confusing. I scrapped and rewrote this so many times, and truthfully I am convinced this is the best it's gonna get. But like I said, it was very difficult for me to write, and I wanted to press on with the rest of the story.
From here on, it’s going to get good - I’ll make it up to you, I swear! So please don’t stop reading over this one little section, I beg you!!!
If I decide to revise the section, I’ll post a link to the revised part when I post the final section of the chapter. If you have suggestions…please offer them up!
Oh, and if you’re confused about the use of magic in this section - that’s sort of intentional. I am taking major liberties here, and I don’t expect that everyone will understand it because I haven’t explained it yet! I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions, but don’t worry too much about it. It’ll be explained in chapter 8, at least somewhat.
Let's have some fun with the cliffhanger, shall we? Vote at a little poll on my LJ about who YOU think got stabbed! You can get to the poll here. Please vote - the results are viewable to all!
A million and one thanks to Tris for the multiple Beta jobs, patience, and understanding. And to Kathrine for breaking her rules to help me out just this once. *hugs*
Reviews and comments are so much appreciated!
I have to be honest - I’m not happy with this part, not at all. I ran it through a few people who said they liked it, but I still am not satisfied with it. But all the same, I’m not quite sure how to make it better and I don’t want to hold up the story any further (and I did leave off on a horribly mean cliffhanger before...), so I’m just putting it out there. Rest assured, the next parts are pretty good (I think), so please give me the benefit of the doubt. From here on, the story gets way better, I promise! ^_^
Title: Of Age
Author: lenainverse
Rating: Hard R (lime and violence/dark scenes)
Pairing: Yuri/Wolfram; hinted Gwendal/Günter and Conrad/Josak
Genre: Drama/Romance
Chapter: 7/12 (fifth part of Chapter 7)
Summary: Demon Law states that on one’s sixteenth birthday, he has to decide what to do with his life. With Yuuri’s birthday just three weeks away, he finds himself filled with uncertainty about which world to call his home.
Comments: Spoilers through 65.
Previous chapters are here:
Chapters 1-6
Chapter 7 - Part 1
Chapter 7 - Part 2
Chapter 7 - Part 3
Chapter 7 - Part 4
Note: This is a retelling of the events that you didn’t get to see in the last section, so you can see what’s going on Yuri, Günter, and Murata while Conrad was freeing Wolfram (in the last part I posted). I just wanted to mention this in case anyone was confused as to why I went back in time a bit here. ^_^ Enjoy!
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For the first time in a very long time, Murata was seriously considering abandoning his duty. As he watched Yuri release his magic in a flood of light and with a cry of anguish, he wanted nothing more than to rush over and throw himself between Yuri and Tyrfing. Murata’s position at the edge of the room - hiding behind one of the huge columns with Alessandra - made him feel completely helpless.
He doubled over as pain stabbed through him, sudden but fierce, and he stifled his gasp so as not to give away his position. He threw his back against the thick column he was hiding behind, closing his eyes for a moment to steady himself. He felt the power behind the shattering windows before he heard the sound, and hoped that he was far enough away so as not to be struck by the falling glass.
“What’s happening?” the Duchess whispered to him anxiously. Murata could feel her trembling where he had a hold of her wrist, but it seemed that she had stopped resisting for now.
He shook his head at her question, not trusting himself to open his mouth to respond. He had been expecting some sort of pain if Yuri’s magic was released; he had instantly realized that he could feel the effects of the Esoteric Magic through his connection to Yuri…more specifically, the resonance of Yuri’s magic. But this was far more intense than he had anticipated - it felt as if his body was being torn apart. Of course, he was far more concerned with the fact that, with Yuri’s magic released, it was only a matter of time before Tyrfing’s power was, as well.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Murata stood as straight as possible and peered around the column, towards where the guards were still standing. They had moved further back when the windows burst inwards, probably more due to shock than for fear of being cut. A quick glance across the room showed him why he had felt such anguish emanating from Yuri; Wolfram was in very poor condition. Murata wished that he could have gone to Yuri’s side or to help free Wolfram, but he knew that he was supposed to be exactly where he was.
Unfortunately, that was all he knew. The vertiginous effects of the human magic were effecting his senses - his intuition provided him only with a confusing mass of images and feelings; a far cry from the almost-premonitions he was used to. All he had to guide him was a gut feeling and a flash of barely-there perception, as if following a flicker of light that vanished when he tried to look at it directly.
Consequently, he had no idea why Alessandra was supposed to be with him, he only knew that she needed to be here, and that he had needed to bring her. So when Conrart had left them back in the waiting room, Murata had pulled her to her feet and, ignoring the Duchess’ whimpers of protest, dragged her into the throne room after him. He hadn’t intended to force her, but her confusion and uncertainty had been growing steadily, and he feared that she would not have had the courage to act on her own. She had fought at first, scratching and clawing at his arm, but had calmed when she saw that Murata was keeping them hidden from her brother’s view. All considered, her ambivalence probably worked in Murata's favor - had she wanted to, Alessandra probably could have fought him off. The fact that she had not done so sent Murata a very clear message.
Murata’s fists clenched as he saw Conrart pull away from where Yuri had knelt on the floor and dash off towards where Wolfram was lying. Alessandra gasped as Murata’s hold on her arm tightened, trying again to shake off his grip. He held her fast, not taking his eyes off of Yuri, trying to focus over the pain as the scene continued to unfold before him and waiting for some clearer intuition, a signal of what he should do next.
Another movement caught Murata’s eye - Gwendal was following Conrart towards Wolfram. Murata found that he couldn't blame Gwendal for his choice, even if some part of Murata’s mind wanted to scream at the man to stay with Yuri. It wasn’t easy for the two brothers to leave their King, but they were only following their hearts.
Günter stood, pointing his sword toward Aldrich, and then there was a blur of movement, and he was gone. Murata’s eyes were barely able to follow Günter as he shot toward Aldrich with his cape billowing behind him, and his blade clashed with Tyrfing. Günter would not be able to keep up that energy level for long, not with the human magic so thick in the room. He was staking his bet on being able to defeat Aldrich quickly.
Günter was not fairing as well after those first few strikes. Even a novice like Murata could see that his movements were slower, his strikes less powerful. Had it not been for the Esoteric magic, Günter would have had Aldrich beaten five times over...but with the magic, he was losing ground.
Aldrich was not as talented a swordsman as Günter, but he was good enough to see an opening when it presented itself. It came in the form of a lunging attack from Günter, his stamina obviously dwindling. Aldrich struck back, sending Günter's sword flying from his fingers and clattering across the marble floor. Günter stumbled as he was pushed off balance, and Aldrich responded with a swift, hard knee into Günter's stomach. Günter collapsed to the floor, his already weakened body unable to cope with the hit as it normally would.
Yuri's reaction was instant. Seeing his friend and advisor in danger was enough to send a wall of magic lashing out toward Aldrich...an instinctive response that had saved countless lives in the past. Murata gasped, aloud this time, falling against the column for support and loosening his grip on Alessandra's arm as searing pain sliced through his body. The Duchess’ arm slipped out of his grasp and she darted away, but as Murata's vision refocused, he couldn't bring himself to care.
Yuri had released his magic. Whatever needed to happen in order for Murata to save Yuri, it had to happen now. But in the face of the agony caused by the contradicting forces of magic, Murata couldn’t focus on what his intuition was saying, what it was telling him to do.
Aldrich had seen the brilliant blue light of Yuri's magic bearing down on him, and blocked it with the flat of Tyrfing's blade. The magic struck, the brief flash of light nearly as intense as the deafening sound of the two forces colliding. Aldrich's arms shook with the effort of holding the blade, and he barely kept his balance as he was forced backwards from the strength of Yuri's power. Yuri walked slowly toward Aldrich, his head bowed, his magic flowing into Tyrfing in a steady stream.
If Yuri noticed that Tyrfing was beginning to glow more brightly, he gave no sign. Murata tried to shout, to bring Yuri to his senses, but he couldn't take in enough breath. He reached a hand out, trying to will his legs into motion, but another wave of burning pain crashed through him, sending him falling against the column with a silent scream on his lips.
Yuri's voice filled the air, strong enough to be easily heard over the roar of his magic. "It is not in my nature to kill, but your disregard for life deems you unworthy to possess it yourself." Yuri's head snapped up, his eyes filled with grief and determination and rage. "I pronounce justice!" He brought his hand out before him, his palm facing the man who had caused such harm to his loved ones, his narrowed eyes darkened with the desire for vengeance.
Murata expected another flash of magic but…suddenly the flow of magic stopped and Yuri crumpled, hunching over as his hand flew to his chest. Murata gulped for breath as the pain ebbed slightly, just enough that he thought he might be able to act. He tensed, meaning to run toward Yuri...but he felt a mental twinge as he started forward, telling him that his part was not yet done. He shook his head hard, trying to imagine what could be so important as to keep him here...
Humorless laughter filled the air, and Murata looked quickly to Aldrich, who was holding his glowing blade aloft. Surprisingly, the smile quickly fell from his face.
"Justice, you say? Then let it be done. Pay for your sins, Demon!" He brought Tyrfing down in a bright arc, releasing a bolt of concentrated power and sending it arching towards Yuri.
The image of Tyrfing's magic streaking towards Yuri spurred Murata into action, scaring him enough that he ignored the uncertainty that flashed in his mind. Duty and consequences be damned; he couldn’t stand here and do nothing based solely on a muddled, abstract feeling. Murata started forward, the agonizing physical pain coursing through him trivial compared with the icy fear that wrapped around his heart…
There was a blur of movement, and the magic connected with a solid form before it made its way to Yuri, the collision causing a brief gale of wind. Yuri snapped his head up in shock, his eyes widening as he watched the magic slam into the person who stood before him, trying to cry out but unable to make a sound.
Günter was sent flying from the force of the magic, his body crashing into one of the thick columns and going limp at the impact. Yuri stared at Günter in abject terror, his chest heaving with the effort of drawing breath. Before Günter had even hit the floor, Aldrich was grinning again as he advanced on Yuri, Tyrfing’s flames glowing with power.
A scream split the air as Günter fell to the floor, unconscious. Aldrich stopped mid-stride, the blood draining from his face and his smile instantly gone, all thoughts of attacking Yuri momentarily forgotten. Murata had no doubt that Aldrich recognized the voice, for he had intimate knowledge of the pitch and timbre of that scream. He had probably heard it countless times; he had probably reveled in being able to induce it at his will. Aldrich turned his head slowly toward the source of the sound, his eyes wide with disbelief.
It seemed that he had not expected to hear, of all things, his sister’s scream.
Murata hurriedly stepped back to hide behind the column, but it was unnecessary; Aldrich’s eyes were solely focused on the cloaked form of his sister.
“Guards,” he barked, his fists clenching Tyrfing so tightly that they shook. In an instant, the guards had seized Alessandra and yanked the hood back from her face, some of them gasping in shock at finding the Duchess underneath that heavy cloak. Alessandra’s face was frozen in terror as her face was revealed to her twin, and her chin began to visibly tremble as Aldrich glared at her with eyes narrowed in fury.
“Alessandra!” yelled a tight voice from above. “What is the meaning of this?” Murata looked up toward the balcony he hadn’t even noticed before, and saw a dark-haired, bearded man leaning over the side. He was dressed in commoner’s clothes, but something about his reaction instantly told Murata that the man was Duke Kellen of Herzogtum, Alessandra’s husband.
“Silence!” Aldrich growled at Kellen, not taking his gaze off of his sister. “This does not concern you.”
“The Hell it doesn’t!” Kellen shouted. “She has betrayed us!”
Aldrich didn’t reply, but something flashed in his eyes. “Let her go,” he ordered, addressing the guards. “Come here,” he added, his voice quiet yet forceful and accompanied by a gesture toward his sister.
As the guards released Alessandra and she began to walk slowly toward her brother, Murata felt something rush through his mind: a feeling of urgency, a request without words. Then he felt the pulsing of Yuri’s magic, and although the power brought with it a nearly overwhelming pain, suddenly everything was clear to him. Yuri needed his help - just like Murata had done for the Original King so long ago. He had no idea how Yuri knew how to use that connection, but he did, somehow. There was no time to reflect on it, everything was happening too quickly. It had to be now, while Aldrich was distracted.
Murata reached deep inside himself for the power he could only call to aid the Demon King. The pain soared to a new level as he touched his own magic, forcing him to bite his lip to keep from crying out. Murata kept careful watch over Alessandra as she walked timidly toward her brother, trying to gauge how much time he had before he needed to act.
Kellen came rushing out of one of the entrances on the main level and ran towards his wife, but the guards intercepted him before he could get farther than the periphery of the room. Aldrich’s gaze flickered briefly over his sister’s shoulder as she came within his reach, giving the Duke a superior, disdainful glare.
His magic answered Murata’s call, but the response was sluggish, forced. He pulled it towards the surface, fighting the pain and resistance, every push equal parts victory and torment. It was dangerous, so dangerous what they were doing - the connection was new, and they had no experience using it. Murata’ magic was no meant to be used in this way. But he would have only one chance, and he could not afford to waste it.
Murata didn’t hear most of what the Duke was yelling, but it was evident from his tone that he was furious. Words like “traitorous wench” and “harshest penalty” flew from his lips, but Murata paid them little mind, focused as he was on Aldrich. He continued to gather the power even as the wrenching pain tore at him, the feeling made even more excruciating by the knowledge that Yuri was feeling it along with him.
Dark spots appeared along the edges of his vision, but Murata kept his eyes wide open, staring unblinking at where Aldrich was standing, Alessandra obediently beside him. She shook violently as she stared miserably at the marble floor, biting at her bottom lip, but Aldrich reached down to cup her chin with his free hand, and forced her gaze to meet his. The Duke was making muffled noises; likely he had been gagged by the guards. Aldrich ignored him completely.
“You have betrayed your country,” Aldrich told her, his voice soft but commanding, “and you have betrayed your husband. But you would never betray me.” It wasn’t phrased as a question, but Alessandra shook her head slightly, as if emphasizing her compliance.
Murata gritted his teeth as the power fought against his control, threatening to slip through his grasp. He felt Yuri with him, helping him, and that let him rein it in just enough - how Yuri’s “other self” managed to do this with no training, he had no idea, but it wasn’t important now. Just another few moments and he could let go, and the pain would be gone…
Aldrich looked at his sister with a barely restrained hunger. “You live to serve me, and that is why you have brought them for me.”
Despite the wetness in her eyes, Alessandra answered without letting any tears fall. “Yes,” she told him, her frightened whimper causing her brother to smile.
“And now,” Aldrich continued, pulling her face near to his, “you will prove your allegiance.” He removed his hand from her face, but Alessandra dared not move, not even as Aldrich pulled out a long, curved blade, one of three from his belt, and held it before her, the cool steel nearly brushing against her cheek.
A wave of fury flowed over Murata, but the emotion was not his. The magic swelled with Yuri’s anger and a flood of agony consumed Murata, making him fight to maintain a hold on the magic. Yuri was relying completely on instinct, but along with that came such powerful feelings - he had to control them, or the magic would slip through their grasp…
Aldrich pressed the handle of the knife into his sister’s hand. “Cut him,” he ordered, indicating Yuri with a wave of his hand. “Slice his throat open, and then watch as I destroy him. And then, after your penance,” he paused, presumably to emphasize the pleasure he would take in executing the punishment, “you may be forgiven.”
It didn’t seem strange to Murata that Alessandra calmed after hearing those words. He wasn’t surprised when she took the knife from her brother, gripping it as if it were her very hope for salvation. He had expected, once she turned to advance on where Yuri was standing in a hunched posture, that her eyes and face and demeanor would be changed.
But Yuri hadn’t. The instant he saw her, walking slowly toward him with the blade in her fist, the look in her eyes impassive and indifferent, something within him ruptured - not in anger, but in despair. Murata could feel Yuri’s fear…the fear that, if Aldrich could do this to Alessandra, could deplete her entire spirit and reduce her to this with just a few words…then what had he done to Wolfram? Was the expressionless stare they’d seen earlier all that was left of him?
Murata tensed, both from his fear for Yuri’s life and from the nearly crushing pain of the magic. The pain was unbearable now, the power so raw and wild that Murata was shocked that Yuri managed to hold it back. Even as Alessandra raised the knife, her dead eyes staring through him, Yuri stood his ground, holding the magic inside him even as Murata desperately wished he would let it out to finish what they had started.
“Please,” Yuri whispered, his eyes meeting Alessandra’s inanimate ones, “don’t make me hurt you. I have to get to Wolfram.”
Alessandra’s head lowered, her bangs shielding her eyes as she shook her head slowly. Her jaw and fists clenched as the knife was raised above her head. Yuri restrained the power inside him, never faltering, his trust never wavering.
Murata prepared to give a mental push that would hopefully be enough to loose the magic, even without Yuri’s help. It wouldn’t work nearly as well now that the focus was divided, but it was all he could do. But Yuri resisted, as if he somehow knew that Alessandra would never be able to hurt him. But as Alessandra moved, driving the knife downward, Murata wondered how he could be so sure…
Alessandra’s grip loosened and she sent the knife skittering across the floor. Her gaze rose to look at Yuri, her eyes filled with apology. Not for what she had nearly done, but for what she was about to do.
She had decided, finally. And the turned to her brother, her expression placid in spite of the snarl of rage Aldrich let escape him.
“Traitorous wench,” he growled, raising Tyrfing toward his sister. “Then you will serve your country by spilling your blood, like the demon you are.”
“So it would seem,” she replied softly. Although she was unable to look at her twin directly, her voice was as calm as Murata had ever heard it. Aldrich’s eyes narrowed, as if Alessandra agreeing with him were more defiant than her refusal to obey him.
Aldrich gritted his teeth and his arms shook, whether from fury or otherwise Murata couldn’t guess. The blade inclined forward, toward Alessandra, but then retracted. She didn’t move, except to wince as she awaited her brother’s judgment.
Through the chaos and noise caused by the agony in his head, Murata heard the command as clearly as if Yuri had physically spoken. It was time.
There was a split second of hesitation as Murata made certain of his intentions. But he found his clarity and gave one final adjustment before letting go - releasing the magic would be very draining, he knew from the past. But if he channeled the magic through him instead of Yuri, using their connection, he might be able to prevent Yuri from being left helpless. But he would have to be a bit reckless.
There was a surge of light as Murata released the power he and Yuri had built, his strength rushing from his as the pain receded. But as it did, it left a hollowness that made him stumble and fall, depleted of energy. He struggled against the blackness seeping into his mind, barely managing to keep his eyes open. Yuri let out a cry and nearly fell to his knees, but Murata knew by the pulsing of the resonating magic that his gamble had paid off. He knew that, once Yuri found out what Murata had done, Yuri wouldn’t approve of Murata draining himself like this. But Yuri could still move, still defend himself. It had been worth the risk.
The magic streaked along the floor, splintering the marble, sending shards flying in all directions and leaving a chasm behind it. The room shook violently as the magic crossed the room in a split second, making its way to the floor beneath Aldrich’s feet. Aldrich stumbled as the ground exploded beneath him, sending him falling backwards, his hands instinctively rising to shield his face. In the same instant, a second, smaller, tendril of magic struck Aldrich’s right hand, the hand that held Tyrfing. Aldrich let out an abbreviated cry as his grip failed and the sword was tossed away from him, landing with a clatter a short distance away.
Murata’s vision slipped out of focus, but he caught a vague impression of Yuri lunging to claim Tyrfing from where it had fallen. With a cry of outrage, Aldrich scrambled to retrieve his sword, but he was further from it than Yuri. Yuri managed to grab the sword and stood, turning to face Aldrich with an expression that seemed equal parts hostility and relief.
Upon seeing his sword in the Demon King’s hands, Aldrich did the only thing he could. He leapt to his feet and, with one had, pulled another of the curved knives from his belt. With the other, he grabbed Alessandra by the arm, and whirled her around, twisting her arm behind her back and pulling her against him. He brought the knife to rest against her throat and glared at Yuri over his sister’s shoulder.
Murata could only watch as Yuri gave Aldrich a dangerous scowl. “Let her go. You’ve no hope of victory.”
Aldrich smirked, giving Yuri a smug look, and Murata knew that he’d managed to regain the upper hand yet again; he always found a way to turn Yuri’s goodness against him. “I will have my blade, or I will have her life,” he told Yuri, seeming certain that Yuri would, faced with those options, willingly give Aldrich back his sword.
“You will have neither,” Yuri promised, “but if you release your sister and my fiancé, I will show you mercy.”
“Mercy!” Aldrich snorted derisively, his eyes lit with a strange anticipation. “The words of a weakling. If you only knew how he had suffered, I wonder…would you be so quick to offer it?”
Yuri advanced on Aldrich with a few small steps, his jaw clenching in anger as Aldrich grinned in satisfaction. Alessandra gasped as the knife pressed against the skin of her neck, hard enough to draw a thin line of blood. She stared at Yuri in shock, but Murata couldn’t tell if she was asking Yuri to help her or to leave her.
A rattling sound at the far end of the room drew Murata’s attention, and he let his head loll to the side to see what was happening. Conrart was dropping the chains that had bound his brother out one of the openings where a window had once been. Murata’s head cleared slightly with the knowledge that Conrart had freed Wolfram and would be coming to help Yuri. Against Conrart, Aldrich would have no choice but to surrender…if Conrart decided to spare him.
Aldrich was chuckling as he saw how his words were affecting Yuri. “I must say, you have exquisite taste. He was a true pleasure to break. And such a voice! I so rarely have heard a tone so lovely. His begging was sweeter than any I can recall.”
Yuri had his head bowed now, and Murata thought he saw a tear rolling down his cheek. The hand that held Tyrfing was nearly white from the tightness of his grip. Murata wanted to cry out to Yuri and tell him that Aldrich was trying to enrage him, to provoke him to attack blindly in a fit of grief, but he couldn’t find his voice.
“Oh, fear not, Demon King,” Aldrich crooned, “I made quite sure that all of his scars are on the inside.”
Until that moment, Yuri had always acted in the name of what he called ‘justice.’ He trusted that ideal unquestionably, and everything he had done was based upon his belief in the goodness of people. But in that moment, hearing those words, something inside Yuri snapped. Murata could feel the uncontrolled, seething rage that overwhelmed everything else that made Yuri who he was. In that moment, when Yuri lunged forward, he had only one wish - Aldrich’s blood on his hands.
Then, everything happened at once. Conrart turned and instantly began to rush toward Yuri. Yuri leapt forward, his pain and fury unable to be contained any longer. And Aldrich shoved his sister aside, moving to meet Yuri’s attack with a frightening smile.
Even through the disorientation and blackness that invaded his vision, Murata could tell that Conrart was not going to get to Yuri in time. He tried to move, to focus over the lightheadedness, but his useless limbs remained stubbornly immobile. He could only watch in horror as Aldrich raised his long knife and thrust it in a downward arc, the blade flashing ominously, leaving Yuri with no choice but to raise Tyrfing in a desperate defense.
The room went suddenly silent as the attack hit, but for the resounding and distinctive sound of a blade rending apart flesh and bone.
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Notes: First of all, I hope you enjoyed the evil cliffhanger! I simply couldn’t resist leaving this section off that way, because we’ve already established that I am evil. As far as when the next part will be posted…well, I guess that depends on how much you all want to know what happens! *smirk*
Again, I feel I must apologize for this section - it’s not nearly where I would have wanted it to be as far as emotional impact, but when I added more emotion it got confusing. I scrapped and rewrote this so many times, and truthfully I am convinced this is the best it's gonna get. But like I said, it was very difficult for me to write, and I wanted to press on with the rest of the story.
From here on, it’s going to get good - I’ll make it up to you, I swear! So please don’t stop reading over this one little section, I beg you!!!
If I decide to revise the section, I’ll post a link to the revised part when I post the final section of the chapter. If you have suggestions…please offer them up!
Oh, and if you’re confused about the use of magic in this section - that’s sort of intentional. I am taking major liberties here, and I don’t expect that everyone will understand it because I haven’t explained it yet! I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions, but don’t worry too much about it. It’ll be explained in chapter 8, at least somewhat.
Let's have some fun with the cliffhanger, shall we? Vote at a little poll on my LJ about who YOU think got stabbed! You can get to the poll here. Please vote - the results are viewable to all!
A million and one thanks to Tris for the multiple Beta jobs, patience, and understanding. And to Kathrine for breaking her rules to help me out just this once. *hugs*
Reviews and comments are so much appreciated!