Song recommendation: Rust(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A40AGZ9tPcw)
"Ace?" Albaric reached out but Ace smacked his hand away.
"I'll tell you so just leave," Ace knelt down and tapped Varseille's cheek. He didn't stir.
"Don't do this," Clover said in a low voice.
"Do what?" Ace smiled, "Don't you want the necklace?"
"I'm saying, you don't need to take the side of this pathetic excuse for a demon!" Clover gestured to Varseille who was at Ace's feet.
"What are you talking about, Clover?" Ace shrugged, "I'm not taking sides. I came because I want the fighting to end. It's annoying and pointless. Varseille doesn't have the necklace. Killing him won't change that. I'm the one that took it."
"Why are you defending him?!" Clover exalted with uncharacteristic harshness.
"He gave me something I wanted. I can do this much at least," Ace dismissed.
"Does the title mean that much to you?" Clover smiled undeterred, "I don't believe it for a second!"
"Yes," Ace said in a low voice, "actually it does,"
"Do you know how ridiculous this is?!"Clover retorted bitterly.
"Clover," Albaric reprimanded sharply before turning back to Ace, "What Clover means is that your safety is still our priority Ace. We all want you to come home. Come back with us. We'll talk about the necklace when you're ready, okay?"
"Just take it for Gods' sake," Ace sighed, "I was happy to tell you where the necklace was from the start but you didn't want to hear it. There's only so many times i'm going to offer, "
"Okay we're listening," Albaric encouraged.
"Good," Ace replied innocently. He stood up and faced them both, "Shall I tell you where it is?"
"By all means," Clover responded suspiciously.
Ace broke into a wide cruel smile, "The truth is I threw it somewhere in the wasteland and left it there,"
"You didn't..." Clover said shakily, "tell me you didn't,"
Albaric's eyes widened, "Ace..."
"It's true," Ace grinned darkly. "By the time I reached the palace of coins, it was already gone!"
"You little fool!" Clover remarked viciously. "What have you done?!"
Ace raised his eyebrow but maintained an indifferent smile, "So are we done yet? Varseille doesn't have it. Neither do I. Can't you take your petty war somewhere else? You're obstructing my view of the wasteland with all the dead bodies,"
"NO WE'RE NOT DONE HERE!" Clover leapt at him but Albaric interceded.
"You don't remember where you put it?" he asked quietly. "Are you certain, Ace?"
Ace shrugged, "it's kind of a blur but I found myself in the palace of coins and it was gone,"
"You didn't think to say anything?"Clover glared at him.
"I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen," Ace smiled.
Albaric turned from Ace to Clover apprehensively. However, Clover was still set on Ace.
"You're lying," Clover said viciously. "Didn't you tell me you'd rather watch the world burn than give me that necklace?"
Ace smirked. "I guess you weren't worth it,"
Clover stared at him speechless. Ace watched them with a smile before saying, "So are we finished here?"
"Ace it's not too late to come with us," Albaric turned to Ace earnestly, "you can fight this!"
Ace looked over coldly, "What exactly am I supposed to be fighting?" he rejoined with an indifferent smile.
"I know you want to be good."Albaric went on, " This isn't you! You came to me before because you wanted to find the right path again, didn't you? I shouldn't have turned you away that time, but I am listening now! You told me you wanted to travel and see the world. Do you remember? Like how you told me you liked working with the horses and the way you always helped the city children with little treats. I remember those things. That's the real you! You don't have to give those things up. They're still out there waiting for you. You can still come back with us!"
"You know me so well," Ace replied without conviction.
"I know you never wanted to be a demon lord or whatever this is!" Albaric implored, "you were confused. You said before that the human world is a place where people have the opportunity to be good. Don't you owe it to yourself to find out?"
"You're confused right now," Clover added, "There's someone who's been working this whole time to interfere with us and they are the ones who is responsible for this, not you,"
"I'm not confused," Ace titled his head to the side with a smile, "Especially not now. If it's easy to be good in the human world, it's only because it's even easier to be wicked here."
"How long will that last?" Clover rejoined, "it's okay to have a bit of fun but the things that you're doing will have consequences."
"And I can't handle it, right?" Ace said flatly.
Clover stared back but didn't answer.
"Clover is right," Albaric exhaled uneasily, "Don't do something you're going to regret!"
"Neither of you get it," Ace scoffed, "but then how could you?"
"Then explain it to us, Ace," Clover responded unflinchingly, "why are you fighting so hard against us? We're trying to help you and I think you know that. Being a demon does not fundamentally change who you are. Stop fighting for the sake of fighting. Just come back with us,"
Ace shook his head and threw his head into his hands. For a moment, he tethered back unsteadily.
"Ace?" Clover reached out to him.
However, at that moment Ace threw his head back laughing.
"I've been so stupid," Ace murmured, "This whole time, I've been trying to understand you and you don't under me at all!"
"I know that you are in pain," Clover said softly, "so let me help you,"
"Pain?" Ace smiled ruthlessly, " You think this is pain?" He put a hand to his soaked back and held up a bloody hand .
"If you didn't fight, it wouldn't have hurt you," Clover winced at the sight of his blood.
"We weren't trying to hurt you," Albaric entreated.
"No, you couldn't, even if you tried," Ace grinned, "I let you do that because I wanted you to see. It doesn't matter what you do or where you take me, I'm not coming back. You've done your bit of pretending to be good humans. It was amusing, I'll give you that. But enough with this farce and just leave,"
"It's not a farce!"Albaric protested, "we really do want to help you. You are our friend!"
"I've always cared about you. You know that!" Clover enjoined, "but what you're doing won't make the pain go away,"
"Ace...we do understand," Rena said softly.
"Everyone suffers," Clover stated coolly. "But staying here will only make things worse,"
"Oh yeah?" Ace trembled with laughter, "I fucking hope so! Cause i'm only getting started. First lord and then who knows?"
"Being a demon lord doesn't mean anything," Clover replied, "It's just an empty title,"
"Just an empty title?" Ace stared at them wildly. "Of course you would say that!"
"I'm just telling you the truth." Clover's brow furrowed, "That title will bring you nothing but misery,"
"What the fuck do you know about misery?"
"I know enough," Clover retorted bitterly.
"Oh yeah? You know what it feels like to be stepped on and torn apart like a dog for someone else's amusement? You...a demon lord who was powerful from birth, you know about the weakness of being crushed under someone else's foot? You think you understand everything but you don't! You don't know what it's like to crawl across this world like dirt. You don't understand what it is to clutch so desperately onto life till your hands bleed." Ace spat.
"Just an empty title?" he went on ferociously," Just a fucking EMPTY TITLE?! That title... is like GOD here.
But what does it matter to you what I want, right?
You just do what you want., Clover You can give out your love so carelessly because it's nothing to you. What does it matter if you take it back? Meanwhile, I am just floundering like a drowning fool just to survive. Just so I can have something I can hold in my hands. Just...just one thing.
You don't get it but a crown of thorns is still a damn crown! You think I'm just playing at being a demon for the fun of it? I tried being who you all wanted me to be and you fucking threw me away anyway. What more do you want from me?! Who the hell are you to look down on me or what I want? Who made you sovereign over my life?!"
Clover flinched and their eyes fluttered grievously. The anger from their expression abated, leaving only remorse.
"I wasn't..."they started but weren't able to finish.
"I have had it with you. With all of you," Ace said coolly. "I didn't want to kill you, but it's like you say. You've really left me no choice," Every ounce of passion drained from his expression. His eyes stared darkly at them both without a hint of emotion.
The blood lust was palpable. It wasn't like before. There was no inkling of doubt remaining. Albaric knew what it was that resolution was. Clover must have realised as well as they were staring wide eyed with a look of dismay. He really was going to kill them. If Albaric had not known better, he would have thought it the energy of a true demon lord in flesh.
He instinctively reached for his sword as he might have done in any other situation but instead forced himself to turn back to Ace.
"Okay," Albaric held up a hand, "Okay? We'll go,"
Albaric already knew this fight would be a fight to death. He didn't want to end this way. Anything but this...The menacing energy around Ace receded. He turned away staring out into the distance over the wasteland covered in death.
Albaric grabbed Clover by the arm and began to pull them back. Yet they remained standing there with a look of complete horror.
"Come on, Clover," he whispered, "this isn't working. We'll have to try something else. If we fight him now, we're all going to end up dead. You can tell that right?"
With Clover's injury, Michael still unconscious and his and Rena's magic already peaking, a fight was the last thing they needed. However, Clover didn't seem to care. They were already shaking their head in dismay. Their eyes didn't leave Ace once. Albaric let out an unsteady breath. Clover was so unpredictable. Were they about to get them all killed?
"I'm not going to tell you again,"Ace said severely and impatiently, "there's nothing wrong with me. I'm not sick. It's this world that's sick. But since there is no cure for that, you'll just have to get out of my sight,"
"I don't want to leave you," Clover pleaded softly, "I'm not leaving you!"
"Let's get one thing straight," Ace returned unmoved, "You're not leaving me. I'm leaving you,"
"Wouldn't you please just listen?" Clover replied slowly. "I never wanted to throw you away. I didn't realise this was how you felt. I was just trying to ..."
"Protect me?" Ace replied with an icy smile. "Yes, telling Albaric to drag me back kicking and screaming, that was you protecting me?"
"Because I didn't know what else to do!" Clover cried, "What can I do, just tell me?!"
"Nothing," Ace gave a smile with unparalleled coldness, "I don't need your protection anymore. I'm not going to cry or beg you to stay either. I finally see the truth. You never understood me at all. You never loved me. I was just nothing to you. Well you know what? Now, you're nothing to me. I'm not going anywhere and I never want to see you again,"
"You don't mean that..." Clover stared at him in disbelief. "This is just like before and you're trying to get at me because you're angry. I understand. I get it, I do..."
"No, Clover," Ace said, still smiling, " I just hate you."
"But I..." Clover's voice trembled, "I lov..."
"Don't finish that sentence." Ace interrupted, " If you do, I really will kill you."