Under the moon's twilight, the emperor exerts his sovereign will atop his palace, observing the evacuating raiders. Lyndwrm's soldiers had begun to evacuate, and for good reason too. He had commanded the obsidian guard to stop at nothing to rid them of his city, and do that they would. He would not allow this to continue. By the emperor's decree, Lyndwrm shall fall. As the emperor turns his gaze from the brutal invasion, elsewhere, another scene unravels.
Mono and Kael indulge in their respite in a corroded building. They had made a pit stop in the fourth sector, as getting to sector three without recovering wouldn't be possible. In doing so, they picked an old, hunkered down building that seemed to have been burnt by the raid.
The structure was accompanied by the awful scent of decay, something had died here. That prospect did not entertain the pair that had chosen the spot to rest. Despite this, they had chosen this place because it wasn't conspicuous and would most likely not attract unwanted attention to them. They made their way into the building swiftly, making sure that no one could catch sight of them.
Inside, Mono sat just before Kael, the space between them uncomfortably narrow; her breath warmed his face, each exhale a quiet reminder of how near they were. The pair was well hidden inside the building. The sear marks that coated the walls only further intensified its atmosphere. Cobwebs were abundant in the small space of the room, dust strewn all over the floor. Gathering his voice, Mono finally spoke his mind.
"Enough… drop the act."
They were hidden from the watchful eyes of the raiders, meaning Mono could finally interrogate his so-called "partner". His hands trembled, though he thought it best to make the decision now, he was afraid of what would happen. His gray eyes peered into Kael's.
'I don't want to be stabbed in the back…'
"Believe me, I'd love to."
Kael's response was met with silence. Mono's eyes were locked onto hers, not looking away even for a second. Though stone-faced, Kael could tell from his trembling hands that Mono was afraid of the idea that she wasn't what she seemed. She attempted to lighten the mood.
"I wouldn't wanna have to kill you."
Kael stood, her expression indicated; she was half teasing and half serious. Mono's brows furrowed. He attempted to speak but promptly stopped himself. Kael stood up.
"I'm gonna check for patrols."
She walked out of the room and made her way outside. Mono watched Kael leave the building, yet he couldn't follow her. The tension between them was not lifted, it did not ease even with her comment. Mono was afraid; not of what she could do to him, but of what he would have to do to her.
***
Beneath the raging city, lies a bunker where survivors seek refuge. A trio of adolescents carefully plan their next move. Of the three one would have to remain stationary as the other two traveled through the sulfuric sea to reach the spire. There they would begin their journey of ascension.
"Sound like a plan?"
Leon asked. He was sitting in between Grey and Isabelle, he had already made up his mind to go with Grey and thus had a good grip on the situation. He separated them on purpose, seeing that their relationship did not get better, rather it worsened when they met again.
'I can't leave Isabelle alone with him, she's unstable and would probably attack Grey again… it's probably better for her too.'
"Yeah, though, it's way too direct. We're going to have to make some stops to gather supplies, intel, and…"
Grey's reply trailed off. Leon knew why, he sighed and nodded. Leon's vis needed to be unlocked before they reached the spire, it would be too dangerous otherwise.
"Well, some people just don't have the talent for it y'know?"
Leon replied, attempting to persuade him into letting him go without obtaining his vis beforehand. Grey shook his head. He stared right at Leon, the look on his face told Leon that it was non-negotiable.
"I'll have to kickstart it."
"What?"
Leon was confused, he watched as his sister's face paled at the comment. He couldn't understand what he meant by "kickstarting" his vis.
'How would you do that?'
"For now, let's move off of that subject."
Grey brushed off Leon's worries and instead brought up another topic.
"We won't survive in the spire if we aren't equipped with weaponry. As you know even ascendants use any type of weapons they can get their hands on, we definitely need some too."
"And where are you going to get weapons from, idiot?"
Isabelle interjected, making her point. Grey turned to her and raised his eyebrow.
"Well wouldn't you like to know. It's a good question though."
Isabelle glared at him. Grey shifted in his seat, forming 'polite' ways to put his idea into a sentence. Finally with a sigh, Grey decided to answer.
"We could use mundane tools and attempt to kill a spire beast, earn some money from that then buy actual weapons. Or…"
Grey's face contorted into a grim expression. There was incredible disdain for the other option he had formulated. He licked his lips before continuing.
"Or, we could steal them from someone else."
Leon's face darkened.
'Just what are you implying Grey?'
A rhetorical question really, for Leon knew. That for them it would be a difficult task to complete, but most likely they could survive heavily wounded. The warrior? No. A warrior's lifeline was their weapon, without it they would perish quickly. Neither Grey nor Leon wanted to stoop down to this level. However if he had to, Grey would not hesitate, not even for a second.
Grey raked fingers through his hair in frustration and threw his head back.
'Now's not the greatest time to be indecisive!'
He breathed in, letting the cool crisp air into his lungs, before silently exhaling. He repeated this process three more times before calming himself down. He stood up from his chair, he had lost all interest in this conversation; they were getting nowhere. As he turned away from Isabelle and Leon, he reminded his friend that he would kickstart his vis if needed. After doing so, Grey walked out of the bunker's doors, only to be met with imperial soldiers.
"No one stopping me, right?"
Grey questioned the guards. The guard to his left shook his head, and in his stead the guard on his right spoke for him.
"No, you're free to go, although it is dangerous out there… good luck and stay safe."
With a nod of recognition the guards moved aside as Grey left the bunker. He turned his attention to the sky, observing the ever-changing satellite orbiting the planet.
'The moon sure is bright tonight…'
***
Gazing at the moon, was the brilliant emperor; pondering over his looming victory against Lyndwrm. Indeed it would not be an easy feat, but certainly doable. He estimated it would take around four or five years of war to best them and either destroy or assimilate their nation into the empire. That is, however, under the assumption that the empire had more visionaries than them, and even so mundane soldiers would get the job done with the empire's powerful weaponry.
"Ah, it seems quite inevitable."
The emperor sighed. He had not wished to return to war only ten years after the last, but he would do as he should, and crush the opposition mercilessly. If that is what it took to protect the empire. A small smile crept up his face, but he quickly dismissed it. Now was not the time for joy – he would take no pleasure in the annihilation of the enemy. His goal was simply to keep his empire safe.
The air around him cooled abruptly. He turned his sight behind him, greeting the interloper. Emerging from the shadows was a young boy, with black hair and blue eyes. The boy nodded and acknowledged the emperor, and then knelt before him, awaiting orders. This time the emperor let himself smile.
"Interloper… you have done well."
The fact that the boy had appeared here meant that the obsidian guard was successful in massacring Lyndwrm's soldiers. Slightly exhaling the emperor reached for a pocket in his robe, and brought out a half mask. Swiftly equipping himself with the guise, the emperor turned back to the balcony.
"The time has arrived, your highness."
The boy was soft spoken, but his words were meaningful. Yes, it was time for the performance. One only an emperor could accomplish for his people.
"I see… notify the citizens and let them know the raiders have been driven out."
The interloper nodded and rose. As he turned away to leave the balcony, the emperor spoke once more.
"I shall ignite the hope in their hearts! Prepare my stage!"
The interloper smiled in admiration, before swiftly dissipating into the shadows. The emperor would build up the resolve of his empire once more. When united, none could stop the all powerful empire! One could call it a foolish sentiment, but the feats of the empire, Lumen, were not short of impossible. Today would mark the start of war, the first of many.
***
Surrounded by a mass of people, a mob of victims, specters left behind by the raid, is the emperor – standing proud in front of them all. Looming over them all is the moon, midnight struck as the emperor began. His eyes glistened, as he delivered a powerful speech, igniting the fire of hope into their hearts. To them he is strong, proud, but most importantly human.
"My people!
Tonight, do you stand beneath a moon that belongs to cowards? To raiders? To those who would tear our empire apart? No!
You stand beneath a sky reclaimed by your courage and our strength!
You, the brave hearts of Lumen, drove out the filth from our city. You did not kneel. You did not falter. You endured. And because of that — we stand.
But hear this: rodents like them scurry in the dark. They will return, fangs bared, seeking to bite. And we will answer not with fear — but with fire!
Let them know: we will march on their cities as we welcomed them into ours — and they will fall before us, as shadows fall before dawn!
So rise with me. Stand with me. Let our enemies hear your voices and tremble!
We are Lumen! And we do not fall!"
The crowd cheered, their resolve steeled, emotions unleashed. They could finally cry, laugh, cheer, and speak. They could let go of the depression which loomed over them previously and move forward with the emperor's support! Despite all of this, Grey who was sitting in the crowd, was struck by a feeling of nausea. A tingle in his fingers, a slight increase in his heart rate, what was going on?
His body was reacting strangely to the emperor's speech, in fact so was his mind. It was on the verge of a collapse, he felt an intense animosity attempt to overtake his thoughts; one which he could not keep at bay. Adrenaline pumped throughout his blood vessels, sooner rather than later, his body would act upon this intense hatred he was feeling.
'Why, why, why!'
Grey attempted to guard against the feeling, trying and failing to keep peace of mind, the newfound clarity he had once held was slowly dissipating. Grey scrambled to collect his thoughts, he had to find out what was happening, and fast.
'Words, a speech… THINK DAMN IT!'
Then it hit him. The strange feeling in the air since the speech started was because the emperor was using his aura to influence the people. Grey's senses immediately sharpened at the realization. While he didn't know the reason for his adverse reaction to it, Grey had to stop the emperor before he lost control of his body. Pushing through the crowd he saw stairs leading up to the makeshift stage the emperor stood on, problem being it was guarded by soldiers. Grey had naught the luxury to think of such things, he was slowly – no actually, pretty quickly going insane.
As the guards watched him approach they stuck out their batons, Grey exhaled and in a single breath slipped past them unheard, and unseen, though the distance was more than ten feet. The guards were startled by his sudden disappearance.
"Did we have too much to drink?"
One guard asked the other. The second guard's face contorted into a grim expression as she stared up at the stage, her eyes glued to the space right next to the emperor.
"No… I don't think we have."
Fatigued, Grey swiftly and quietly rushed towards the emperor, he was reaching his limit. As he did so he pulled back his fist, preparing to interrupt the emperor. As Grey reached striking range, he blurted out a warning.
"Grit your teeth!"
Instinctively, the emperor did just that and quickly spun around, only to see the fist flying towards his face. The emperor's arms shot out in an attempt to stop it, but by now it was too late. Grey's fist slammed square into the emperor's face, knocking him onto the floor. The once loud and cheerful crowd was silenced immediately. As the emperor recovered his sight, he looked up to see who his attacker was. Looming over him with a sinister look on his face, was none other than a boy with Gray hair and blue eyes, his face veiled by shadows.
As the hit registered on the emperor's face, Grey's rising insanity was instantly dispelled. However it was replaced with a different feeling, not a simple irrational hatred, rather a history of pure unadulterated contempt. In Grey's head, he wondered why this strange feeling was overcoming him, though his clarity had returned.
'My body remembers something I don't… I see. I absolutely hate this guy!'
As Grey stood over the cowering emperor, his proud guise now shrouded in fear, a chain shot towards him on his left. Grey glanced at the direction of the chain, it was aiming directly for his head. However he shifted his attention back towards the emperor before him, who had recovered from the initial shock of the attack, and was now standing in front of him.
'If that chain hits me I'm as good as dead, and yet…'
He found himself not reacting to the threat of death, as if he knew it would never reach him… and it never did. Out of the corner of his eye he saw it; a blur of motion. The steel of the chains met the fabric-like material of an umbrella, setting it off course. Wielding the umbrella was a young boy, with black hair and blue eyes. He stood beside Grey shielding him from the force of the deflected attack.
'Amazing!'
Without looking away from the emperor, Grey acknowledged the boy by gripping his shoulder. The boy returned the sentiment with a nod. The emperor's once shocked expression had shifted into a crude smile. And thus he spoke,
"Grey… Grey Aerith, why have you come to torment me once more. If my memory serves me correctly, you have lost yours, I presume?"
The emperor spoke with a jovial tone, careful not to provoke Grey. Grey sensed his caution however, and dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
"I'm not here to attack you or anything, relax."
Grey wasn't stupid enough to say something like "Relax. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have missed." to an emperor, that's not even mentioning his elite soldiers which carefully observed what he was doing. And though he could only see the lower parts of his face due to the half mask, he could see the emperor's shift into confusion. The emperor rubbed his chin softly, his mood had changed from persuasive to pensive, all while Grey cautiously observed him.
The crowd began to stir once more, this time in outrage of the sudden attack on the emperor, and as to why no one was retaliating. A few people from the crowd even attempted climbing up the stage, but were promptly stopped by any soldiers in the vicinity, not to mention the obsidian guard watching their every movement, be it the crowd or the emperor's.
"Now, I need to know… just who am I?"
"Grey Aerith, to put it simply, you are a pain… No, I should reconsider. Ah yes, you are a thorn in my side, one which I should've gotten rid of many years ago."
The emperor seemed to make it a point to not include obscenities in his speech, at least not in front of his people. Though what intrigued Grey more, was the fact that he called Grey a thorn in his side.
'Specifically the many years part… Considering that it's past midnight, I'm sixteen. Means I must have been special in some way to be a "thorn" in the emperor's side even back then.'
Grey opened his mouth to say something, however the emperor was not done speaking. This time his tone was serious, and his words were filled with ominous meaning.
"As such, Grey Aerith, I Banish thee unto the abyss."
'...What?'
Before Grey could say anything, the chain that once threatened his life wrapped around his legs. It shot through the air silently betraying the loud sounds it made previously. With a chain wrapped around his leg, Grey's instinctive movements caused him to trip and fall over, and when he fell he was met with greater force on his spine. The mob that was rejected from the stage earlier had now pushed on top of him and pinned him to the floor.
'This can't be happening right now.'
Grey's thoughts betrayed the reality of his situation, he was pinned to the floor by an angry mob he'd be lucky to not be killed.
'What's worse is that I'm being banished!'
In this scenario, Grey was utterly powerless. He was not an extraordinary soldier, or a child prodigy of any sorts. The reality of the situation reminded Grey that he was still after all this time, just a normal boy. He wanted to call out, to scream, but his head was slammed on the floor and he could not speak.
Grey watched as the emperor approached him, he was slowly losing his consciousness. A wicked smile was plastered across the emperor's face as darkness started to take over his vision. Only then could Grey wonder,
'How the hell did I get myself into this mess?'