Chapter 47: For Myself

Chapter 47: For Myself The wooden shack grew quiet. Lucen rubbed his hand over his stool. This world might have broken Shanakal, but this could also be related to a prophecy. Someone needed to go around and strangle all the seers and soothsayers. No more cryptic messages and marks of doom. Everyone that sees the future just dies. He turned back suddenly, making Hiru cock his head. Liam ran into the back, taking one unpleasant glance at the halfbreed before telling Lucen: "Aya! She’s in the courtyard." Lucen shot from his seat and ran out of the stall. It was easy to find them, everyone was looking at her, and two of the giant guards that stood at the doors of the Keep, towered over them, red armor glowing menacingly. Aya’s black hair was tied with a rose hairpin made of glass and studded with emeralds. Her teal eyes looked past the huge guards and to the Grey Keep. She wore her glittering armor, but its luster was somewhat dimmed by their fight with Peter. Her two guards faced up against the giants fearlessly. For two low-tier knights, it was pretty impressive, considering that their heads were barely above the giants’ knees. "I seek audience with the Lightcloaks. My name is Aya Medaza, heir to the Red Keep." Lucen pushed his way to the door, but before he could shout Aya’s name, she sent a scathing look his way. What were they doing here? She couldn’t wait for him before coming? A deep and rumbling voice shook their courtyard, like the Keep itself was speaking. "Welcome, Aya. Bring her to the great hall. Let us first eat with our guest." Chester’s voice faded like a ringing in his bones, and the two guards turned and marched into the castle, Aya and her guards right behind them. Lucen yearned to run behind them, but returned to the shack and got Hiru. "Go back to the stables. I’ll see you in the evening." He stormed up the stairs of the Keep and found his way to the great hall. All the knights were already clamoring to enter. There was no damn space to even cross the door. He ran upstairs and used the family entrance, using his mana sense to avoid running into anyone. The interior of the great hall was flooded with voices. Aya was already sitting at a table, surrounded by Lightcloaks, their golden eyes gleaming with suspicion. He needed to talk to her. He had plans, ways they could get around this without an execution. [Lucen, can you hear me? This is Aya.] Her delicate voice rang in his head for a moment. This wasn’t the best time to run mad. [Is that actually you?] [Yes. When you connected yourself to the Crown of Star, you allowed me to establish connection with you.] [Why didn’t you speak before this then? Why come throw your life away for no reason?] [The Crown of Stars is an Anchor Rune. A rune drawn from nature by god. People can summon their memories of runes to cast spells, but this is the physical manifestation of the Crown. It is the physical manifestation of authority and our right to rule. It is our duty.] This would have all been interesting if Aya wasn’t about to be executed. He ran his hands over his face. [So instead of us summoning it, this is the actual thing, and one of its powers is to communicate with subordinates? Cool. Now why didn’t you speak to me before you came here?] She was talking to one of his uncles, laughing and brushing her hair back. The Lightcloaks smiled as she buttered them up, their suspicion retreating. [Because I knew you wouldn’t agree with what had to be done. Because you aren’t from this world, right?] Lucen struggled to find his words. [You saw my memories.] [Not much, but I understand. It doesn’t still make sense what I saw—your two sets of memories—they are like seeing the world in different colors.] Lucen sat at a table far from her, and dropped his head. [So that’s why you—] [I did not come here because I don’t trust you, nor did I come here because I’ve lost faith. You are my hero, but you still have much to learn of the value of honour, duty, and heroism.] Aya pursed her lips. Lucen jolted, eyes snapping towards his hand. It felt like someone was touching him. His gaze crossed the room and met Aya’s briefly. She smiled. [You hold so many different types of mana in your soul, but they blend perfectly—beautifully. I was scared. Why does he use heretical mana? But I still see it at night when I’m forcing myself to sleep, to forget all the sorrow and suffering. Divine mana dancing with Hunger mana. A beautiful evil that soothes my heart.] She looked down, still speaking with the other Lightcloaks as she comforted him. [You’re my hero. It would be the greatest honor of my life to stand by your side, but if we do not atone for our sins, we glorify evil.] Lucen’s gaze stayed locked on her. [For the longest time, I burdened my parents in my past life. I shut myself in and rejected their help. Bad things happened to me, but I went on to deprive them of seeing their son happy. What your brother did was wrong, but you have a chance to do some good in this world if you’re alive. Death, staying stagnant to atone for sins—that won’t change anything. Stay alive and try to do some good. You don’t have to die to atone.] Aya’s smile quivered. She looked down briefly. [We don’t have to love our family, or train with the sword, or help those that suffer beneath us. We probably lose a lot doing these things—our time, our health, and our reputation. But we do these things because they are right, because when we wake up tomorrow, we’re going to have to live with our decisions.] Lucen remained silent. It was like she said—they saw the world in different colors. Her guilt brought her here, so she could atone. What did it matter anyway? It was her life. Let her live it as she pleases. [Lucen?] He closed his eyes. His heart felt like a lead block. [Don’t worry, I understand. Go on, die if it pleases you.] He felt his soul turn with his will, and the connection between them was severed suddenly. Everyone in the hall rose as Chester entered, flanked by Fyodor and Kant, who held grim expressions on their faces. Lucen stayed seated as the wave of clapping rolled over the hall. He stared at the ground absentmindedly. Forget Aya. He had problems he needed to deal with. Like Adrian, and how they would maneuver around the fact he never told Chester about him. Let her die. He was dumb for forcing himself into her problems when he had more than enough.