Chapter 58: Unholy machinationsNotes:
Beta-read by "Pandora (Succy)"! They are the best!
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(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Chapter 58
Krck... went the glass, as it shattered in his grip.
Wine and blood sloppily dripped from his hand on the expensive carpet and stained the fabric. A dull ache spread outwards from the wounds, but he hardly noticed. Instead he began to shake uncontrollably as his face paled and cold sweat ruined his elaborate makeup.
Roswaal was feeling empty.
Absolutely void.
What could this mean? What was he missing? He could not wrap his head around what tragedy had befallen his existence. It was unfathomable to his century old mind that he could be abandoned after all this time.
For the book that his teacher had given him… was blank.
It was not supposed to be blank. The tome of wisdom had been filled with prophecies and instruction for nearly four hundred years now. His beloved teacher had never failed to show him the optimal path forward. Until today.
"Impossible..." he mumbled half-dazed.
This had to be a dream. A very bad dream. The worst possible nightmare in fact! He needed to wake up from this hellish fantasy! Yes!
Roswaal painfully pinched the skin on his forearm between his thumb and index finger, but that changed nothing. Why did nothing change? He repeated the process with more force, even drawing blood, but without result. He was not waking up!
"Damn it!" he roared as the ambient mana in the air started to violently circle around his trembling form. Wind ripped the priceless paintings on the walls apart, small ice shards perforated the ancient tapestry, the floor buckled and bent as the stone itself shuddered and the glass in the windows burst from the rapidly fluctuating temperatures assaulting them. Shadow and light itself seemed to clash around the furious silhouette of their master who was sinking ever deeper into despair.
Nothing in this world mattered anymore if his teacher had abandoned him.
Not his life or that of his servants; not even the fate of the entire planet was of any importance to the grieving magician. Everything he had worked for in four hundred years was useless. All his sacrifices had been futile.
In a fit of rage he picked up the fallen book (which had not suffered the slightest damage despite the surrounding chaos) and tried to incinerate it in his bare hand, but a curious detail made him stop in the last possible moment.
There was a letter on the previously blank page.
A single letter.
A tiny smidgeon of ink, smaller than the nail of his pinky finger.
And it meant everything to him! The miniature storm of pure magic dissipated instantly as his rampant emotions simmered down and he wept with joy. How could he have doubted his teacher! She had provided for him all these centuries, of course she would not abandon him now when the great plan was so close to completion! He was truly unworthy of her kindness.
She was the love of his unnaturally long life; the centre of his existence. He would do anything for her. Roswaal had actually done anything for her. Although he hated himself for the cruelties he inflicted upon those dear to him, he had never regretted a single atrocity that he had committed in her name. By her will he slaughtered thousands and ground mountains to dust. His teacher had made him into a monster and he had embraced the change wholeheartedly.
For what else was love but an infinite desire to spend your life in service of another?
Hastily the margrave closed the tome and reverently waited for the instruction to finish inscribing themselves onto the pages as they had done many times before. He was practically giggling in excitement and relief at this point. So overjoyed was Roswaal that he did not even notice his favourite servant rushing through the broken door of his office.
"Master Roswaal! Were you attacked? Are you hurt? Shall I call Lady Beatrice? She can be tricky to lure from her library, but-"
"Hahaha... I am fine Ram. More than fine really. Trouble yourself not my dear. I am perfectly fine. No need to bother our little spirit with such trivialities."
Both of them were too distracted to notice that his usual accent was curiously absent.
"Then let me dress your wounds." she said with a tone that tolerated no objection.
While the pink-haired maid went to retrieve disinfectant and bandages her master tenderly cradled his most prized possession in his bloody hands, staring longingly at its cover. Carefully he stroked the leather like the cheek of a long lost lover until he finally opened its pages again.
"Visit the celebration. Nine days later bring the girl to the grave of your desire. Force the boy to break the seal."
So far so good. These were the same cryptic hints he had interpreted since he could remember. Well, they were probably more direct and comprehensible than usual. Although most people would have no idea what these obscure instructions entailed, he had long since mastered the art of solving his teacher´s little riddles. Now he had a pretty good vision of what to do in the near future. Roswaal couldn´t recall feeling so happy in the last couple decades.
But then he read further...
And he froze in shock.
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Tanya was frantically searching for a way out of her current situation. On one hand her time to come to a decision was slowly, but steadily running out. But on the other hand, she needed to come to terms with the reality that she would have to develop empathy for motherfucking Being X of all people!
The prisoner dilemma had been used to great success to break even the most loyal of enemy soldiers during the war. Nobody wanted to be the guy who kept their mouth shut when one word could have bought them freedom and a return home. Although Tanya´s own situation at the moment might differ, in a lot of ways it was the same.
Both she and the other inmate, Being X, wanted out. To do so they would need to both simultaneously wish for the other to be set free, but they could not rely on the other to keep their end of the bargain. If either of them voluntarily or by mistake messed up the timing of the wish they would be stranded without a partner. So either they risked getting screwed over and becoming trapped in this empty space for all eternity or they stayed safe, but trapped together.
At least that was the case if she assumed that he spoke the truth about the key out of this prison. Or if she went along with his retarded plan like a brainless sheep. No! She would never play by his rules again. There had to be a way to cheat the system. She just knew it!
Her previous plans had been shattered by the annoying revelations Being X had dropped on her, like a Russi bomber throwing off its payload over imperial territory. Why did he have to dramatize the simplest facts so much? It only served to make him seem like a second rate stage magician who tricked his audience with smoke and illusions, an amusing thought considering how much he appeared more like a failed entertainer than a celestial entity at times .
But now she would end this farce once and for all! He had tipped his hand and she just had to implement a strategy
Despite his claims of divinity he was remarkably susceptible to good old human psychology for example...
Yes… This could actually work.
"You said that you are a god right?"
"Yes. That was the basis of our small dispute."
If she had possessed an eyebrow then it would have twitched in irritation. He had the audacity to call a global tragedy that cost Tanya her dignity and millions of others their lives a 'small conflict'?
Suppressing her anger she continued: "What exactly are your duties then? You know, your job?"
"Mostly purifying, sorting and managing the souls of the dead. At least that would be the most relevant and easy to comprehend for your mortal mind."
"Geez...Thanks for breaking it down for a stupid, insignificant creature like me." she thought to herself.
"So you are saying that you are basically organizing the afterlife."
"Yes... In a way. What is your point?"
"And you really are trapped in here with no way out."
"Of course. As painful as it is to admit, I am not going to deny reality."
"Then what happens to the souls of all the people who are dying right now without you watching over them?"
"They are released into the void. That is the reason why you need to free me as soon as possible so that I can resume my task. It is for the good of all my worlds. Do not waste my time further!"
"Time is critical for you then. Mmmm... So you would be willing to cooperate with me and literally do anything to be let out..."
"What is the purpose of your musing?"
Now it was time for the bluff. She needed to bluff like she had never done before. To do it so well as to trick a being that some could mistake as a deity. And she only had one chance.
"Well, you see... You are the one who has a far greater need than I to escape from this prison. With every second you waste thousands – nay – hundreds of thousands of souls are slipping away and the work you complained about to me all those years ago increases. You are desperate to get out of here to minimize your losses. Unlike me. I have all the time in the world."
Before he could interject she continued her spiel.
"Of course not literally. I can't tolerate this white emptiness forever and I have people in the real world who will worry about me if I am gone for too long, but waiting a few weeks or months is entirely in my capability."
"You would not dare!"
" Why not? I cannot trust you to speak the truth about the nature of our confinement, because as far as a couple minutes ago we were enemies. Nah, nah, nah!" Tanya imagined she would be wiggling her finger like an exasperated teacher right now if she could. "Don´t talk and pretend as if you were simply guiding me or whatever. You know as well as I that there was no love between us. You wanted to forcefully alter my opinion of you so that you could feel satisfied with yourself. This whole new life of mine was just a pet-project to prove your superiority once and for all! I know it!"
"Perhaps... We acted both rashly on that fateful day..."
"Good. Acceptance is the first step to self-improvement. Anyways, I cannot trust you and you cannot trust me. Especially if we actually have to earnestly wish for each other to be freed. It is a classical dilemma that I want to propose a solution for... Prove to me that you actually mean it and I will let you out."
"What exactly do you have in mind?"
"Like I said, you are a lot more desperate than me to escape which puts you at my mercy. If you want my help then you have far more need to convince me than the other way around."
She needed to establish the narrative that he was dependent on her so that she could dictate the terms of their upcoming negotiation. It was of vital importance that he went along with her plan. Hopefully his silence was a sign of acceptance.
"So here is how it is going to go. After all you´ve done to me I cannot easily forgive you, so my wish would be hollow and meaningless. You are the only one of us two at the moment who is able to free the other and you simultaneously cannot afford the necessary time for me to slowly change my mind over time. Therefore you should free me and in return I will acquire a different person with a far more agreeable mindset to replace me. Sounds like a plan?"
It sounded believable, but hopefully he would...
" No . Forgive me, but I cannot let you go and leave me here alone. My existence is too important to the fate of countless worlds. Should you decide to abandon me it would spell disaster for uncountable numbers of my children. The risk is too great for me to consider this."
Wonderful! Tanya would have been more than surprised if he accepted. He might be a moron, but Being X wasn´t that stupid as to fall for such a simple trick. If he was sleazy enough to detect her reverse psychology though, that was the question.
"Alright. You are putting me in a tough spot here. If you don't want that... hmm... How about this..."
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In her eternal prison of darkness and time Satella wandered blindly, forever cursed to a half-life of loveless suffering. She existed everywhere in her 'Shadow Garden' at once, yet she chose a physical form to remind her of the time she had spent with her beloved so very long ago. Had it been centuries since she was sealed or millennia? Satella could not tell. Inky blackness might as well have been the place of her birth, ultimately it mattered not. The memories of her parents and so much more had been taken from her by Envy.
Even if the accursed witch factor had not broken her mind she would have willingly forgotten them. Regardless of how they treated her, she was not worthy to see herself as their child. Satella was too far gone for that. Even before her love had been taken from her and the Divine Dragon had bound her to this place between places, she was called a monster, a devil - nay, the Apocalypse itself.
Envy had puppeteered her body and brought untold destruction to the world, yet she had been too weak to care. Through her complacency entire continents were lost and still…
She could not care the slightest amount.
Because without her beloved by her side, this existence was meaningless. Like puppets they danced and pretended to matter, when in the end their arrogant debauchery could not save them from becoming nameless dust. Their worthless ilk needed to be reminded why-
" NO! "
This was not her! Envy was talking! All this rage was not hers!
"What would our beloved say if he could hear us right now?"
If there was one thing she could trust her other half to do, then it was adoring her darling star as much as she did. Disappointing him was a fate worse than eternal unlife for both of them.
Silence followed. Well, it only became thicker, for it had never left in the first place. It was more of a mental silence where Envy was not projecting her turbulent feelings onto Satella. A sort of liberating emptiness that made her feel like she could slowly sink into the darkness and melt away until she dissolved entirely.
Alas, death or non-existence were impossible for her. Satella had gained so much power that her essence had been etched into the fabric of the universe like a ugly, swirling stain. Not even if she wanted to could she remove the disgusting thing. Alone her beloved could…
Oh, he was simply the best. The very best. He was her everything. The only person of importance. Her true hero. Love, Love, Love, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE -
"Enough!" she screamed.
Honestly she felt the same, but the overwhelming feeling of yearning and affection, however warped it might be on Envy's side, was not conductive if she wanted to think clearly. It hurt her empty heart, but she pushed the all encompassing fog of devotion and desire down to manageable levels. Blushingly she thought that if her love was visiting her she would not have been able to keep it together at all. Satella's love was just too strong .
How she wished to touch him…
To hold him close…
To never let him go…
Squeeze him tight…
Worship him forever…
"No! I have to think! We need to help him! We need to find a solution to his suffering! It is our fault! OUR FAULT! "
They cried in their timeless cell of nothingness. Their beloved was in agony, because they could not help him! When they had ripped the dimensional veil in twain to bring him back, neither of them could have expected that he would face such hardship. These abhorrent puppets hurt him over and over again! And the worst part: He was doing it voluntarily! Why was he throwing his beautiful, precious, wonderful life away? Why? Why? WHY? Their gift was not intended to be used that way!
Finally after what could have been a second or a million years they composed themselves.
"We cannot accompany him. We cannot bring him here without causing him enormous pain. Our blessing alone could not protect his happiness. We need to give him more."
Envy rumbled approvingly, the shadows coiling and stretching around her form in anticipation. They both knew that nothing could ever be enough for their star. He deserved the world and more. No effort was too great to secure his well-being.
"He cannot carry this burden alone."
Yes. That was it. The solution . Their minds merging as one they flared their power, united by true passion to serve their beloved.
It was not perfect, but now it was better than before. A protector. A tool. A vessel of their will. Regardless of how insignificant that lowly human was, it would help him where they could not. That was enough to be thankful for. Although the jealousy began to grow when they saw how close the tool came to him. Why were they not able to touch him like that? How unfair!
Fighting the urge to erase the tool with a flick of their wrist they calmed down. A bit. At least enough to notice the biggest problem with their plan at the moment.
That bitch was interfering.
That bothersome, pesky, unkillable Vainglory!
What had she done! Arghhhhhhhhh-
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Reinhard was slightly nervous, which did not happen often. He was on his way to his Lady's personal chambers to inform her that the magician who was supposed to look at the strange necklace she found had mysteriously disappeared. Even his Divine Protection of life sensing could not locate the man. Hopefully he would not be too late to warn her that something conspicuous might be going on. Caution was always better than regret after all.
Suddenly however a suffocating presence had descended upon the manor which froze even him temporarily in his step. Such overpowering malevolence… Such darkness… For the duration of a heartbeat it felt as if the jealous witch herself had blighted them with her presence.
In the next instant it was gone, but he nonetheless began to run at full speed towards his mistress. She was his highest priority as a royal candidate as well as his Lady. Her safety was paramount! He needed to check on her urgently! What if this had been an attack? Only the witch´s cult would be insane enough to invade the home of the Sword Saint. That made this suspicious phenomenon possibly even more dangerous.
Mentally apologizing for the rudeness, Reinhard nearly ripped the door off its hinges as he charged into her office, bringing with him a gust of wind that had knocked over paintings and furniture during his sprint. His eyes instantly found Lady Tanya sitting at his father's table with her petite back turned towards him. Thank the Od Laguna that she appeared to be safe!
But why did she not react to his approach? Her reflexes were supremely sharp, forged in years of constant war. His Lady should be looking over her shoulder the instant he stepped foot outside her room. Then why wasn't she moving?
Terrible fear grasped his heart as he carefully walked over to her motionless form and bent down to peek at her face. Reinhard's numerous Divine Protections confirmed that she was alive and healthy, but that did not reassure him in the slightest.
Unconsciously, he swallowed when he lowered his head to get to her level.
"Milady, are you-"
The words died on his tongue the moment his eyes made contact with the brightly glowing orbs in her grim visage. One shining blue, the other golden.
"No, my dear knight. I am not." she uttered distractedly, before promptly falling unconscious into his arms.
Notes:
Oh no! Three major forces clash at the same time with unexpected results! What could have happened?
(It is not as generic as you may think.)