Hitirus pushed deeper into Coshire, reaching the last stop before the next city. However, he couldn't bring himself to continue.
The sun was still up, only recently passing the mid-way mark. Even the sky was clear, no threats of rain or thunder.
Yet there was a storm, one emerging from within Hitirus himself. He collapsed beside a rosebush, letting his entire body to fall flat.
Guilt and shame made it difficult for him to move on from what happened earlier that day. It still felt fresh, the taste of the Yomie's flesh, still gnawing away at his sanity.
"What the hell did I just do?" Hitirus asked, amazed with himself. Even after pillaging dozens of villages on his rampage towards Yarno, he never thought he could do something like this. "They could've lived."
Memories of the Yomie's desperate attempt at fighting back flashed in his mind. He remembered how yells, urging the Yonie to run and hide.
But he didn't listen, he was frozen in fear. Just like Hitirus was internally throughout the encounter. That wasn't him, that was the Feral.
She took over, forcing him to kill two innocent lives. And her reason? She didn't have any. Hitirus just assumed it was because of her conflicts with the Thresher sub-versions.
Nobody within himself liked each other. Nobody had an ally. It was a massive free for all where they secretly agreed to harass a specific sub-version.
"How the hell can I be King if I can't even be myself? It starts with being the King of your own body, I'm sure of it. But I am not a King, just a vessel," Hitirus' voice crumbled.
What felt like a tear ran down his cheek, dropping into the soil beside him. He wondered what his native Legion was doing. Were they in disarray, like he was?
Fantasies of living like the rest of his Legion came back to him. He remembered hearing two adults discuss the fond memories of the higher-up's decision to stop weaponizing their members.
Putting an end to the crossbreeding experiments and giving every single one in the program freedom. However, none of these Variants wanted to mix with the rest.
They formed bonds throughout their years, even communities. Mothers teamed up with mothers to raise young, even smuggle them to their fathers so the farmers couldn't use them as weapons.
"I could've lived in harmony..." Hitirus murmured. "A peaceful life with my fellow Variants. We deserve rest, a good one. But why me?"
"Because we were too nice," Befehlnadir answered. "My caretakers told me everything. You and I are cursed by the most unlikely situation."
Despite having his enemy right beside him, Hitirus didn't care. If Befehlnadir was there to kill him, he could do it.
Yet he wasn't going to. Even though his duty was to kill Hitirus, he still knew it was best to help him get to the point of claiming the crown.
Befehlnadir sat down beside the fence dividing them from the roses. His eyes touched the oceanic blue sky.
"Do you know what we're called? Not 'we' as in Variants, but as a species? We're not Thawed, Feral, Zegus, Thresher. We're called Verwirrtsurs," Befehlnadir explained.
"Verwirrt - confused, bewildered, perplexed. And surs - one, individual, single, being. We're literally confused about ourselves. Just look at yourself," Befehlnadir ordered.
He was right. Hitirus didn't know what he was. All that he knew was an objective he had to fulfill. Otherwise, he won't be able to rest peacefully.
"But that doesn't explain how you can do it so easily," Hitirus rose to his knees. "Why aren't you confused?"
"I am," Befehlnadir answered. "Truth is, neither of us have a solid identity. You can be a male and I can call you a female and I'd still be correct. Because you can't prove to me you're truly male when you have the ability to become female as well."
Hitirus sighed, agreeing with that. There was no way to say he was what he claimed to be. In a way, he's everything. So many captured Variants went into this project.
They were repeatedly forced to breed with others to capture the perfect babies. Until those same perfect babies were born and could reproduce with each other.
"To answer your other question, though. I simply understand who wants what. Ferals want action, lots of it. Zegi want fights. Thawed devotion. And Threshers need affection," Befehlnadir explained.
"It won't make them like you right away, but it will be a step in the right direction. Don't silence them, either. Let them speak to you one on one," Befehlnadir continued.
Hitirus nodded, getting up from the ground. He glanced down at the bag, realizing he had forgotten to pick it up.
Which prompted Befehlnadir to hand it to him. Both Verwirrtsurs stared at each other, wondering why the other was acting the way they were.
"Enjoy your stay in this next city, a Noble Mind's in there. And he's a serious one, too. So just keep an eye on how your body acts," Befehlnadir suggested.
He used the fence to pull himself up, ready to leave. But before he left, he turned to Hitirus one more time.
"Oh, and uh..." he quickly threw a right hook to Hitirus' head. Sending him straight into the bushes. Thorns sunk into his skin as he screamed in pain. "Don't forget to keep yourself at high alert."
Just as quickly as he appeared, Befehlnadir left. Dashing in a random direction. Winds picked up, allowing him to morph into a Wind Ripper Feral, and glide away.
Leaving Hitirus alone, struggling to get out. The vines tangled and thorns drew out blood. Painting the thing in a crimson hue.
"He could escape if he used me..." a Melted Thawed commented. "But of course, he will give it to the Scaler!"
"So stop dreaming, creature. I am better," a Brittle Ice Thawed snapped back.
This was the opportunity Befehlnadir was waiting for. He stopped struggling, mustering his strength to endure pain for a few minutes.
"Melted Thawed, what do you want?"