Song recommendation: "You're so young, so sweet, so surprised."(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uOyfqVuonQ)
Ace rose with a start. His eyes opened wide and he sat up immediately. He looked around confused. It wasn't the dark cell. There was no dank air. It was dry, almost sterile except for the scent of blood.
Ace's head began to shake slightly as the realisation occurred to him. He flew from the bed and opened the curtains wide. An arid wasteland stared back at him. A hungry howl from just below his window made him flinch. He stared down as groups of demons began to beat a lower-beast to death.
Slowly Ace inspected the room. The familiar setting confirmed his suspicion. He was in the tower room of the Palace of Swords. This was the demon world...
Ace couldn't remember what had happened. All he could recall was an argument with the wizard then blank. Ace rushed to the door but was startled when it opened in front of him. To his surprise, Clover was standing in the hallway with a strange look on their face.
"You're up," Clover remarked. They stepped into the room. Their eyes fell on the bed sheets hurriedly thrown on the floor and Ace's dishevelled hair. They placed some clothes on the bed then went back to standing in the doorway.
"I suppose you're feeling better then?" Clover said in a subdued voice.
Ace unconsciously looked down and gave a silent nod.
"Good," Clover retreated back into the hall, "Come down then,"
Ace watched Clover go without saying another word. It felt awkward. It wasn't just because he knew he had gone against Clover's wishes. There was something else. It was almost like they were shutting him off. Did Clover regret telling him the truth?
Within a few minutes, Ace had dressed and was making his way down the spiral staircase. He approached the doors to the great hall with some trepidation. Not far, he could hear a ruckus in the courtyard. It was the same demons he had noticed before. They weren't from these parts. Ace had never seen them before.
He headed into the hall. As usual, Clover was reclined on the throne but there was someone else there. Ace crossed the length of the hall. He laid eyes on Michael apprehensively. Michael didn't meet his gaze. He had an unusually flat affect and was staring ahead with a deadpan stare.
"So, what now?" Clover asked unceremoniously, "You begged me to take you here. What do you want from me?"
Ace turned to Michael with irate wide eyes. "You bastard...," he began to say under his breath.
Michael interrupted him, "Can you heal Bird?"
Ace's anger briefly subsided. He turned to Clover in anticipation. Clover expression didn't give anything away. Their eyes were guarded and emotionless.
"Do I look like a healer to you?"Clover said coldly.
"That's not what I asked," Michael persisted, "CAN you heal him?"
Clover's eyes came to Ace. He was waiting with bated breath and round childish eyes.
"I'll see what I can do," Clover inhaled. "But even if I heal him, you must know this is only a temporary fix. The effects of the demon world will take hold in a matter of days,"
"I have a solution to that," Michael contended, " As you know, the demon world absorbs life mana. Our magic is already being depleted, but you can still use magic here, can't you? If you heal us with it, the effects will slow down, won't they?"
Ace's eyes peeled up from Michael to Clover in surprise. Surely if Michael knew that Clover must have known it too. Why had they never mentioned it before?
"Mmmm," Clover leant on one hand, "Suppose I do. This world will be destroyed soon, won't it? Why would you want to take refuge here?"
Ace felt his heart drop. He glanced at Michael anxiously. He couldn't rely on him to tell the truth. It was better just to tell Clover now.
"Actually.." Ace began.
"Actually, that plan had been delayed," Michael interrupted, "it's not going to happen any time soon."
A flicker of emotion crossed Clover's face. It was reigned in by a renewed frostiness.
"Because of you, no doubt," Clover said bemused.
"Correct. However, If it wasn't obvious already, "Michael titled his head back unrepentantly, "I failed. That's why we were imprisoned with this fool. You'll still get your big finale. It's just been DELAYED,"
Clover turned back to Ace. Ace felt guilty under their gaze but he didn't want Bird to die.
"Please... Clover," Ace hesitated, "Will you help Bird?"
It looked as if Clover was going to say something to him, but instead, they rose. Ace watched anxiously as they quickly descended from the throne.
"Where are you going?" Michael questioned.
"Do you want me to heal Bird or not?" Clover answered flatly.
They followed Clover to a room in the lower section of the castle. Unlike the tower rooms, it was small and dark. Bird was lying very still on the bed. His curly blonde hair was in disarray and there was sweat on his brow. He was breathing quietly but showed no signs of rousing.
Clover held a hand over his head and then passed it over the length of his body. Finally, Clover came back to Bird's chest and pressed down.
"There's holy magic displacing the flow of energy here," Clover surmised curtly.
"Didn't I tell you?" Michael chimed in.
"I need my full concentration for this," Clover's eyes flickered up sharply. "Right now, your face annoys me. Get out,"
Michael was about to argue but Ace interceded, "Michael. Do this for Bird," Ace entreated.
Michael let out a grunt and turned from the room. Ace began to follow.
"You can stay," Clover said quietly.
Ace closed the door noiselessly and took a seat at Bird's bedside.
"How did this happen?" Clover glanced up again. "There aren't many holy magic users in the Empire,"
"It was Albaric," Ace admitted.
"I thought so," Clover lifted both hands to Bird's chest.
Ace watched silently. Clover still wore the same expression. Ace couldn't tell what they were thinking at all. Several moments passed before Clover spoke again.
"There it is," they said.
Clover's hand shook as they continued to cast the magic. They steadied their hand by grabbing their wrist, forcing one hand to remain over Bird's chest. Ace looked up uneasily. Was it supposed to be this difficult?
Blood started trickling down Clover's nose.
"Clover, you're bleeding!" Ace said with alarm.
"It's fine," Clover didn't stop. "I'm almost finished,"
"Clover, Stop!" Ace exclaimed. "It's hurting you,"
The blood continued to flow down their lips until it dropped upon the bed. Ace flew up from his seat and came around to Clover. However, on his approach, Clover held up a hand. They staggered back momentarily unbalanced then turned to him with a mirthless smile.
"It's done," Clover uttered.
"I'll call for someone," Ace started. He was about to turn when Clover grabbed him by the wrist.
"No, don't," Clover brought a hand to their face and smeared the blood.
Ace took a cloth from the side. He was about to bring it to Clover's face but he stopped himself. Instead, he handed it to Clover. They wiped their face but a trace of blood still remained. Ace watched apprehensively.
"Are you okay?" he asked at length.
Clover paused, "I'll be fine,"
"Was it the holy magic?" Ace challenged. "I heard it can have that effect on demons but I didn't think it would hurt you,"
"Mm," was the only reply.
Ace blinked slowly as Clover passed him. He didn't know what to say. Suddenly Clover tipped over. Ace caught them in his arms. For a minute Clover's eyes looked hazy. Ace found himself once more lost in their rose-coloured eyes.
Clover turned their face from him and pulled themself up. They started to leave the room again.
"Why did you agree if you knew it would hurt you?" Ace asked, frustrated.
"Because you asked me to," Clover's eyes came up pensively, "and because it doesn't make a difference. If it kills me now then I won't have to wait,"
Ace flinched, he was frozen in place. All the words evaporated from his mind. Clover turned the door handle to leave.
"Wait!" Ace cried.
He turned to Clover abruptly. Clover looked back vacantly.
"If this is the last time we're going to spend together, does it have to be like this?"Ace implored.
"Like what?" Clover questioned.
"Does it have to be so cut and dry, so distant? Like it's nothing. Like we're nothing?"
"If you're asking what I think you're asking then yes, it does," Clover sighed. "We both know how it's going to end,"
"But why? You didn't even give me a chance last time," Ace protested.
"A chance to do what?" Clover shook their head with a smile, "Why start something that's just going to hurt you?"
"So that's it then?" Ace scoffed, "Can't you explain it to me? Why are you so set on this?"
"Again with all the questions," Clover remarked, "Why don't you start by answering something? Why are you even here?"
Ace shifted uncomfortably, "It wasn't up to me,"
"Ahh," Clover gave a sarcastic nod. "So you don't even want to be here but you expect me to entertain you, is that it?"
Ace gritted his teeth, "It's not like that. Why are you making all these conclusions on your own? It's convenient for you I suppose. You can just end everything yourself then, right?"
"That's right. Someone has to do it," Clover answered categorically. "And in this case, I knew better...that's why I told you I was wrong before."
Clover's eyes fell to the floor as a melancholy filled them.
"What was so wrong about it?" Ace swallowed. "You said it was selfish because you had nothing to offer me. What if I'm not asking for anything? You don't need to love me. It can be a distraction. It doesn't have to be..."
"...it doesn't have to be real?" Clover smiled weakly, "You can't handle that, Ace."
"Why don't you let me decide what I can handle for once?!" Ace said sharply.
He stormed towards Clover and pulled them to him. Their lips met in a breathless kiss. Ace caressed Clover's body, tracing their velvet skin hungrily. Clover let out a moan. They pulled back and fell against the frame of the door.
"Enough!" Clover breathed. "I must be out of my mind,"
"Why?" Ace protested. "Why do you pull away every time we get close?"
"You know why," Clover answered.
"You're not going to hurt me," Ace argued. "And I won't hurt you,"
"I'm not worried about you hurting me. It's me. I can't control myself. I wouldn't just hurt you, Ace. I would kill you. Everyone around me ends up dead,"
" Are you talking about Lune?" Ace asked softly. "I heard what happened, but Clover, that wasn't your f..."
"Where did you hear that name?" Clover cut in abruptly.
"I..." Ace wasn't sure how to respond. He bit down on his lip. Ah! Why did he have to say that?
"Was it Michael?" Clover interrogated.
Ace's brow furrowed, "Michael? No, why would he know about it?"
"Whatever," Clover's expression was colder than he had ever seen it. Ace couldn't bring himself to say another word.
"Just leave me alone for a bit," Clover said flatly and left the room.