Song recommendation: "I'm afraid you don't love me anymore" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bvBC1mcyB0)
Clover peeled off Ace's shirt. He stared down with a cold expression. Clover was as beautiful as always. Their delicate features and porcelain skin were ethereal. And yet, Ace felt his heart grieve as their lips touched his. This wasn't real. None of it was real.
Everything had been slowly building. An overwhelming feeling of despair was just below the surface. But that was what the deal he had made. He wouldn't turn back now. He couldn't...This is what he had to do to win, right? This was it.
So why did he feel so tired? So uneasy? It literally felt like the world was spinning. Their touch was dizzying, spell-binding...consuming. Ace returned Clover's kiss hungrily. They fell back into a breathless passionate embrace.
Clover's hands came to his waist, flinging his belt to the wall. Then slowly they kept going until Ace felt completely exposed. He let out a moan as Clover's finger's glided lower and lower. Ace felt like he was falling deeper and deeper. It was like he could barely breathe.
However, as his eyes came back up to the ceiling a sudden coldness came over him. If things continued as they were, he felt like he would drown. This didn't feel like winning. It felt like losing something important.
Ace held up a hand. Clover halted in surprise.
"What?"
Ace pulled the blanket around himself with one hand and stumbled out of the bed.
"Don't tell me you're chickening out after all that talk," Clover said with a sigh.
"I just need a second," Ace struggled to breathe.
Clover's brow furrowed. They stood up regarding him more seriously.
"What's the matter?"
Ace inhaled and exhaled rapidly, "Nothing...I...just...I can't breathe,"
As he said the words, he fell back. Clover darted forward. Ace fell back in their arms. Clover steered him to the bed. They held a hand to his face calling his name again. However, Ace was out stone cold.
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At first, Ace could see nothing but black, darkness surrounding him. It was lonely and cold. Then he was walking. Slowly the light began to build. He kept walking towards it expecting to find himself out in the light, only to find a feeble candle.
The flames flickered. Suddenly the light went out.
"Shhh," a voice hissed in the darkness.
Ace looked around but he couldn't see a thing. The floorboards creaked. He began to step back but he felt a wall enclosing him. A door flung open and the light renewed. Ace could finally see he was in the library. On the floor beside him, Sena's small body was curled up in a ball apprehensively.
Terre Sol's grotesque figure loomed in the doorway.
"What are you doing here?" came his deep, booming voice.
It was like Ace was a child again. All the words disappeared. He was frozen in place. Why couldn't he speak?
Sena stood up slowly. It was as though time stood still. He turned back to face Ace. His light grey eyes were deepened into a shade of red.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Sena said in a low voice. "Did you want me to die?"
Ace shook his head but the words still wouldn't come out.
"You let me die,"
Ace fell to his knees. He could feel the tears streaming down his face. Why was he so weak?
"How many more times will you watch me die?"
Once more it was all black. Like the lights just went out. Ace was fumbling through the darkness reaching out hopelessly. With his whole heart, he kept searching. Was there any light left?
"I'm sorry Sena! I didn't mean it," Ace cried. "I'm so sorry,"
Big round tears ran down his face.
"Ace? Can you hear me?"
Ace blinked in confusion. His eyes shot open. For a moment he was completely disorientated. He felt a hand steady him. His eyes slowly focused.
"Clover?" Ace looked around.
"You're finally awake," Clover sighed.
"I don't understand," Ace felt a cold shiver go down his spine. "The last thing I remember..."
"You fainted," Clover said flatly, "Then you were mumbling in your sleep. I had to wake you,"
Ace sat up and drew a hand over his face. He looked around. The curtains were drawn and the room was dark. It was already night. "I'm sorry. I must have woken you. I'll go back to my room,"
"No, you can stay," Clover said softly. "You haven't slept for days, right? Is it usually this bad?"
"Sometimes," Ace answered quietly.
"You seemed to be dreaming about that friend you mentioned...Sena?" Clover waited for an answer.
"I can't remember," he answered reluctantly.
It wasn't entirely a lie. In his dreams, there were things he could remember. More still there were memories mixed in with anxieties. However, the part that disturbed him most was that every time he woke, he would have this feeling in his gut that he was forgetting something important.
"Come here," Clover cradled Ace in their arms.
Ace was surprised by the gesture but lay back down against them. He could hear Clover's heart beating softly. It felt like he was still in a dream. All dark and quiet aside from their heartbeat.
Ace closed his eyes and for the first time in days, fell into a restful sleep.
When dawn came, Ace felt strange. It was strange to be wrapped in Clover's arm. Seeing their sleeping face like a child could wash away all his apprehension. It was even more strange how natural it felt. He had to keep reminding himself that this was just part of the game.
If it wasn't for the fact he fainted, he surely would have woken up feeling even worse inside. Yes, this was a game and he wanted to win. But at what cost? How long would it be before Clover tested him again? He couldn't lose his resolve.
If he wanted to win, to truly win, he would have to decide. Either he could love Clover and lose them forever or he could give up his love and save them. There was no way to have both.
Ace glanced down at Clover. They were quietly breathing fast asleep. Their hair was dishevelled. They looked like a spirit that might disappear at any time. He couldn't waver now.
Ace slipped out of the bed and quickly changed. He left the room feeling empty inside.
The palace was hauntingly still. Ace started towards his room.
He was midway down the hall when he saw Michael coming out of a room that wasn't his. They exchanged glances but neither said a word. Ace hurried on. Even the sight of Michael still put him on edge.
As he approached the top of the stairs, he heard a noise. He started to run up the stairs a bit faster. The closer he got the louder the sound became. It was that strange tune, but this time there was a small voice singing:
"The green grass is singing. The mountains are watching. When will you come home? The river is calling,"
Ace bounded up the last of the steps and found his door wide open. His heart dropped. He glanced around the room. Other than the door being open, nothing else seemed disturbed. There was no sign of the singer he had heard. Ace started towards the wardrobe to see if someone had found the hidden compartment.
However, everything was still in place. Ace paused and scanned the room once more. He slowly sat on his bed considering the incident once more. Maybe he was just being paranoid? He could have left the door open himself. His head felt heavy. And his heart felt heavier.
In truth, he missed the days where he could talk to Albaric about his problems. He wished things could go back to as they were. The time with Rena and Albaric in the tower was the happiest he had ever been. Things felt right with Clover. There was so much he wanted to do...
It wouldn't have been so bad if every day he wasn't reminded of the fact. Waking up in the demon world was one thing. Seeing the unrepentant cause of the trouble was another thing entirely. As Ace was on his way to visit Bird later that day, once more he crossed paths with Michael. He would have just ignored him but Michael seemed bent on provoking him this time.
"So you spent the night with Clover? " he said sarcastically. "Congratulations,"
"And who have you been spending the night with?" Ace said flatly. "I'm pretty sure that was Kalandra's room I saw you coming out of. I suppose when she kills you, you won't have to worry about the Empire chasing you anymore,"
Michael grinned darkly, "I can handle Kali,"
"I guess this must be another scheme of yours to get the necklace, but what do you think will happen when she realises you're using her? Assuming you don't get used first,"
Michael let out a condescending laugh, "What do you think relationships are? You use them or they use you. The best outcome is mutual benefit. That's it,"
"And what about love?"
"Love? " Michael threw his head back laughing, "Love is the most useless emotion of all. If you want a good relationship, forget about love. Love is a disease. It deludes you into thinking you can find the meaning of your life in someone else. Then when you can't, you hate them and then you hate yourself. Thankfully, It's a sickness I'm glad I don't suffer from,"
"You don't believe in the gods. You don't believe in love. You don't believe in anything. What an empty life,"
"I believe in myself," Michael retorted, "It's a concept you should become familiar with. Do you remember what I said to you the day you tried to leave the tower? I said you had the opportunity to decide who you want to be. You clearly still haven't made that decision, so who are you to lecture me?"
Ace stared back coldly, "I know who I am,"
"Oh really?" Michael replied sarcastically. " Because all I see is a gullible child in over his head,"
Ace suddenly pivoted harshly and made a line towards Michael. He shoved him against the wall with his forearm to Michael's throat. Michael smiled apathetically, making no attempt to resist.
"Every time you open your mouth, all I hear is white noise. You're a fucking joke!" Ace spat, "If you think I care what you think, you're dead wrong. You don't need to give me advice. You're a lying piece of shit!"
Ace was so angry, he didn't even notice another person was standing beside him. Bird grabbed Ace by the arm.
"Ace! It's not worth it," Bird pulled him back sternly.
Ace turned startled. He was as surprised to see Bird as he was to realise his own actions. He glanced back at Michael quickly removing his arm.
Michael raised an eyebrow, "Sure seems like you don't care," he said before walking away.
Ace blinked rapidly and bit his lip. Was he really losing it? Why was he letting Michael rile him like that? It wasn't like him.
"What's happened?" Bird asked seriously, "I heard the commotion and saw you guys arguing,"
"I've just been on edge," Ace confessed.
They continued walking a little down the hall to Bird's room.
"I think we need to go ahead with the plan," Ace said as soon as the door closed.
"Are you sure?" Bird asked.
Ace nodded, "We need to hide the necklace,"