"Where is that great confidence from earlier, lord Yashtara?" Varseille strolled up to the figure knelt before from him.
Yashtara leered up outraged. She slammed a fist into the ground and came to the stand. All around the two lords, the ground was ravaged by dents. The greatest of which they were now standing in. Around them, the battle went on. Those that were left continued to paint the red soil an even darker shade of red.
Yashtara was covered in wounds but seemed unaffected as she lifted her two greatswords in her hands and swung with such ferocity the air around them cut into the earth with deadly slicing chunks. Varseille leapt back as the blows left a deep x where he was standing.
With a flick of Varseille's wrist, a whip of dark magic slashed through Yashtara's wrists. However, instead of dropping her sword her grip only seemed to tighten as she renewed her attack. Once more Varseille ducked under one of the slashes.
"Stop DODGING like some fucking weakling!" Yashtara screamed. "FACE ME like a true demon!"
Varseille titled his head to one side, "Are you stupid? Is stupidity a demon trait or are you just special? The others are pretty gullible, but even with this mask, can't you tell yet?"
"Tell what?!"
"I haven't even used my special toy yet," Varseille held up a charged hand with a shining red ring.
"It was quite fortuitous I found that girl when I did," he said to himself, "if you weren't so busy killing humans, you might have realised they have some use. Oh, but she's not a human, she's an elf," he started to laugh.
"What is that?" Yashtara stared at the device. Another magic vessel?
Varseille held up a hand, "that should be enough time," he said thoughtfully, "now we can play for real,"
Suddenly, a black shroud covered the entirety of the battlefield. Even from inside the palace of cups, the great windows painted the room in darkness. Only the soft glow of the hourglasses remained.
"Oh, it's starting," Kalandra smiled, inspecting the ring on her hand. It gleamed a shade of crimson as she turned sharply on her heels. Ace was sitting back on the throne of cups staring up apathetically.
"What's starting?" he asked.
"Stay here," Kalandra instructed, leaving the hall without another word.
Ace felt annoyed but too disinterested to chase after her. Given Kali's reaction, it must mean Varseille had prepared something special for Yashtara. Well, what did it matter to him? Ace leant back with a sigh and closed his eyes. He didn't sense any more demons and if they remained, they had probably fled by now.
He found the throne quite uncomfortable. Clover always seemed to lie back with ease. Ace opened an eye to inspect the chair. Maybe if he turned slightly...
"Aren't you too relaxed?" came a voice at the end of the hall.
Ace glanced up indifferently. "Is there a reason I shouldn't be?"
Clover stared down at him with their usual temperate smile.
"So you're alive then?" Ace remarked as he shifted in the throne once more before setting his feet on the floor with a sigh.
"Thanks to you," Clover replied.
"I hope you haven't come to annoy me, Clover," Ace added, "I'm not in a good mood,"
"Why's that?" Clover replied. "Didn't you always want to be a demon lord? Now you are. You make quite the lord - Tall, dark and merciless? The trail of blood leading to the throne is a nice touch. Even I want to bow my head a little,"
Ace leant on one hand staring down unimpressed from his seat on high.
"What do you want, Clover?" he said in a low voice.
"Don't worry I haven't come to beg you to return again," Clover laughed, "I just wanted to see your face,"
Ace's brow furrowed and stared down suspiciously, "Well, now you've seen it,"
"Right," Clover said quietly, "I suppose I should go help them,"
"Go help who?" Ace interrogated.
"As much as I love the sight of you on my old master's throne," Clover smiled, "I've made a lot of tall promises, some of which I intend to keep. I shouldn't let the holy knights of the Empire do all the work. I also want to see Varseille's face when I smash him and that mask into pieces,"
"What have you done this time?" Ace demanded severely.
"I thought we'd give lord Yashtara a hand, that is if she isn't already dead," Clover smirked.
"You're going to go up against Varseille again?" Ace said flatly.
"Mmm," Clover nodded with a wide childish smile, "I gotta pay him back a little, right?"
Ace stared at them quietly. Suddenly, he disappeared from the throne. Reappearing at Clover's side with only a flicker of shadow. Clover's eyes met him just as his sword shot out towards them from the shadows. Clover managed to sidestep just in time. The blade thrust out an inch from their face
"That's pretty dangerous," Clover stared at Ace with thinly disguised irritation.
Ace pulled the sword back sluggishly as if the effort was exasperating.
"You're still injured," Ace remarked, "I thought so," he added with a sigh.
"Why do you say that?" Clover smiled impatiently.
"Because that was slow, Clover," Ace returned, "slow for you at least, but I bet you're still going to go out there. Am I right?"
"I see your abilities have improved. Must be that new title of yours," Clover gave a restrained smile, "but what do you care what happens to me, lord of cups?"
"I don't," Ace walked back to the throne, "It's just annoying that you've wasted my efforts. Varseille was very upset when you escaped, you know?"
"Why did you save me then?" Clover asked softly.
Ace sat upon the throne and turned his face from Clover, "Who can say? I can barely remember,"
"I see even as a demon, you're still a terrible liar," Clover laughed. "It's fine. I find your lies quite adorable,"
"What strange taste you have," Ace muttered.
"Perhaps, but you never bore me,"
"That is the cardinal sin to you," Ace said coldly, "Gods forbid I cease to entertain you,"
"I know you're angry at me, but I do care about you, Ace," Clover replied soberly, "I always have. We just can't be together,"
"You seem to be misunderstanding something," Ace said coolly, "As to my reason why I saved you, what was it that you said to me before... 'I saved your life on a whim'? You can keep your lukewarm confessions to yourself. I can tell you right now that my saving you was in no way some kind of roundabout declaration of love. Actually, I think the sight of your face lately inspires the opposite emotion. I saved you because I pitied you. You know, that same pity that disgusts you and that you despise? That's all I see when I look at you now.
So the next time Varseille beats you within an inch of your life, don't expect me to come to your rescue again."
"Seems your memory isn't that bad after all?" Clover said dryly.
"It's as you said. Some things are easy to forget. Other things only get clearer with time," Ace replied sharply. "Though given time, I'm sure I can easily forget you altogether,"
"I see," Clover said in a subdued voice. "Well then, it seems this conversation has reached its end."
"Has it?" came the sarcastic rejoinder.
"I'll see you later, Ace," Clover cast him one more look, then in a voice as low as a whisper, "wait for me. I'll definitely find you again."
Clover left the hall. Ace didn't turn to see them go. He closed his eyes letting the quiet reign. In the distance, he could hear blasts and clattering swords. There was still a war raging beyond the watery blue throne. Should he go out there too? He suddenly felt restless.
The silent reprisal didn't last long. Kalandra stepped back into the fall. Her usually deadened eyes were alive with savage excitement. She let out an unsteady breath as she darted off into the inner reaches of the palace.
"Kalandra?" Ace called after her annoyed.
Where was she going?
Kalandra sped off beyond the great hall smiling from ear to ear.
Just moments earlier she had been surveying the effects of Versaille's gift.
He had given it to her as a test of allegiance. The ring possessed a strange kind of magic she had never seen before. While it gave the demon lord control over her magic, it offered her a little demonic power of her own.
Though he seemed to be reaping the most benefit so far. Thanks to his great magical capacity, Varseille was using it to its fullest. The entire battlefield was covered in a veil of black miasma giving him control of everything in its path. As far as Kalandra could see, Yashtara's troops were being torn apart.
It won't be long now. The tide of battle had long passed. Varseille would have the victory. Kalandra had done her part, now it was time for her to have some fun. She had sensed Clover's magic not long ago and was practically bursting with anticipation. It wouldn't be long now...
She watched Albaric and Rena charging off towards Varseille while Clover had come and left the palace of cups. Kalandra waited. Where was he? He must have come.
Then she saw him. He appeared out of the portal and as if by magic, his eyes set upon her almost instantly. He was hurtling towards her at full speed. With an absolute ferocity, her love was chasing after her with all his might.
As Michael hurtled towards her, Kalandra stepped back inside the palace of cups. She mustn't make it too easy for him.
After all, men love the chase...