Airelina Frembell
Estoff and Duke Dragunov were casually sipping their chilled glasses of beer, uncomfortably perched on the worn-out sofa, while I found myself engrossed in licking every last bit of the delectable red bean paste adorning my fish pancake, tucked away in a cozy corner. It seemed like Estoff had an affinity for drinking, as he rarely went without a glass in his hand. Not exactly what one would expect from a leader, I thought to myself.
The office air hung heavy with humidity, intensifying the already heated atmosphere of the afternoon. Though I felt the urge to scold Estoff, I decided to let it slide this time. After all, he had willingly taken on the burden of sacrificing his own reputation for both Amphy and me. Even if the Dragonoid Rights Bill were to pass, granting his beloved Elumina the freedom she deserved, Estoff would be condemned to a life far from ordinary. To complicate matters further, one of our adversaries, Rudolf Azregon, had now risen to the rank of Pentagram Knight, tipping the odds in Kyle's favor.
Little did I know that things were about to take a turn for the worse, far beyond what I could have imagined.
Amphy, with an air of silent determination, cautiously swung open the creaky wooden door. His emotions remained concealed, his new hairstyle adding an element of mystery to the unreadable depths of his eyes. However, I couldn't help but notice the tight grip of his clenched fist, so forceful it seemed as if he were on the verge of crushing his own blood vessels within his palms.
"Look at how these cunning devils revel in their leisure time," Amphy muttered under his breath.
"Don't get too ahead of yourself, boy!" Estoff retorted with a playful smirk. "Just because you've changed your hairstyle and bulked up your biceps doesn't mean you're a more despicable scoundrel than the rest of us." He proceeded to gulp down another mouthful of his beer.
Amphy's anger intensified, trembling with a mix of frustration and fury. "The three of you are the most diabolical scum I've ever encountered," he seethed, his words dripping with venom. "Perhaps even more wicked than that deranged general."
Was Amphy referring to us? In this room, there were only four of us. Duke Dragunov and I chose to remain silent, observing the escalating tension. Estoff, on the other hand, clumsily dropped his beer glass onto the table before raising his voice. "I don't appreciate the filth pouring out of your mouth, kid!" he retorted, relief evident that Estoff hadn't yet succumbed to drunkenness. Otherwise, he might have resorted to pointing his sword at Amphy.
"Well, I don't appreciate what emanates from the three of you either," Amphy retorted with a smug grin. "I know all of your sins. EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!"
I had never witnessed such seething anger emanating from Amphy before. His once gentle brown eyes now burned with a fiery hatred, as if he harbored a desire to annihilate everyone within the confines of that room. Taking a tentative step forward, I reached out, attempting to soothe his escalating emotions. "Amphy... please, calm down," I implored, my voice laced with concern.
However, before my hand could make contact, he violently swiped it away, his voice dripping with venomous accusation. "Don't you dare touch me, Aleria Turner!"
A wave of shock washed over me. How did he know that name? This was impossible! Could it be that Rudolf... Damn that treacherous human! He must have poisoned Amphy's mind with false information.
"I know every single one of your ludicrous secrets," Amphy sneered, his gaze piercing through Estoff with disgust. "You, Estoff... so consumed by your lust for Elumina that you never considered the lives of the innocent, did you? You manipulated countless individuals, fabricating the government's responsibility for the destruction of Vanilla City to earn the trust of the dragonoids... Is it all true?"
A heavy silence descended upon the room, as Estoff bowed his head, clearly grappling with his response. After a moment of hesitation, he mustered the courage to give an honest answer.
"...Yes," Estoff admitted with a tinge of remorse. "I needed to stoke the dragonoids' hatred towards humans, exploiting their fear. I believed it was necessary to set an example for them... and I succeeded. Without the Crimson Dragonfly Incident, there would have been no revolution. There would be no Arcadia." Estoff paused for a prolonged moment, his voice laden with the weight of his words. "Sometimes, sacrifices of blood are deemed necessary to attain everlasting freedom."
Amphy vehemently shook his head, vehemently disagreeing with Estoff's justification. "Your obsession with Elumina blinds you, Estoff. That's all there is to it. You're willing to sacrifice anyone and everyone just to set her free. You would climb a mountain of innocent corpses if it meant grasping her hand."
Estoff remained silent, unable to offer any further defense, allowing Amphy to effortlessly claim victory in their argument. Then, with the same piercing gaze, Amphy turned his attention towards me, his eyes filled with a murderous intensity. "And you, repulsive lizard... Is your love for me nothing but a grand deception as well? Just like what you did to Zac Schneider?"
I stumbled, my throat feeling dry and unable to form a coherent response. I clutched my aching chest, the pain of having the person I loved most completely lose faith in me overwhelming.
"Feeling remorse now, huh?" Amphy sneered, his laughter dripping with sarcasm. "You should have felt guilty long ago, before you ended Zac's life. He was your first lover, after all."
"That's not true!" I cried out, my voice filled with anguish and desperation. "It's not true, Amphy—"
"DON'T CALL ME AMPHY EVER AGAIN!" Amphy bellowed, his voice laced with a mix of rage and heartbreak.
Tears streamed down my face, my heart throbbing with increasing intensity. Each passing second felt like a dagger piercing my chest, making it harder to breathe. The depth of Amphy's hatred surpassed anything I could have imagined. I had intended to reveal everything to him once the dust settled, but now...
"Airelina," Amphy muttered, covering his left eye with his hand, his laughter laced with pain. "I thought you were on the right side... but it appears that your hands are the filthiest of all."
I collapsed to my knees, the fish pancakes I had been holding tumbling to the floor, forgotten. My mouth opened, but no words emerged. My mind resembled a blank canvas, devoid of any coherent thought. My vision blurred, darkness encroaching at the edges. I couldn't breathe. Panic seized me. Help... I... can't... I'm... dying...
Utterly helpless, I closed my eyes and begged for forgiveness, my voice a feeble cry at his feet. I yearned for absolution from the man I loved with all my heart. Yet, it seemed that my sins were too great to be forgiven. He forcefully kicked me away, casting me aside without mercy.
"I can't believe it," Amphy uttered, his voice filled with disbelief. "I should have trusted everyone from the beginning. You're all nothing but cold-blooded terrorists."
Amphy turned his back and walked away, anger burning in his heart and soul, leaving the room with his emotions in turmoil.
A heavy silence hung in the air, enveloping the room in its oppressive grip. I attempted to cry out, to release the anguish that had built up inside me, but my voice remained stubbornly silent. I remained motionless, allowing the tears to flow freely until my eyes ran dry.
Estoff nonchalantly finished his beer, while Duke Dragunov stood in silent reverence. After a few minutes, as my strength slowly returned, I mustered the determination to stand up.
"Where are you going, Airelina?" Estoff inquired.
"To find Amphy. I need to talk to him," I replied, my voice carrying a hint of determination.
"It's futile... It's all over," Estoff responded, his voice tinged with a mix of resignation and fear. I turned to face him, noticing the tremor running through his body, betrayed even as he attempted to maintain a facade of composure. The clinking of ice cubes colliding with the glass of his beer provided an audible backdrop to his words. "The Dragonoid Rights Bill holds no significance if Amphere turns his back on us. Without his support, there can be no peaceful resolution. The only path that remains for us is one of adversity. We must wage war to topple the empire."
The weight of his words settled upon me, a heavy realization of the drastic measures that might be necessary. With a resolute expression, I knew that the time for diplomacy had passed, and that the road ahead would be fraught with conflict and sacrifice.
The room fell into an eerie silence as my words hung in the air. Estoff's somber statement lingered in my mind, and as much as it pained me, I understood the gravity of the situation. We had reached a critical juncture, where drastic actions seemed inevitable. The path to freedom required sacrifice, even if it meant traversing through rivers of blood.
"Airelina... I loathe having to say this, but..." Estoff's voice trailed off, hesitation and regret seeping into his words. "Amphere... Amphere Harrison must be eliminated. He knows too much."
Determined and unwavering, I wiped away the remaining tears from my face. I turned to face the leader of Arcadia, my loyalty and confidence shining through.
"I will do it," I declared resolutely.
Estoff and Duke Dragunov remained silent, their expressions revealing a mix of uncertainty and surprise. Realizing that they needed clarification, I repeated my declaration, my voice firm and unwavering.
"I will be the one to end Amphere Harrison's life, with my own hands."
The weight of those words settled heavily upon us all, signifying a path filled with darkness and despair. It was a choice I made with a heavy heart, driven by the conviction that it was the only way to secure the freedom we so desperately sought.